Slim down and focus health service administration

A meeting of the elected Chairmen of the HSE Forums is due to take place in
early June. I am trying to get agreement to streamline the administrative
structures of the health service to focus public money on the doctor/patient/nurse/health professional interaction which has been reduced to comply with the budget allocations set out for 2010 by the government.

Dear Dr Conroy,

I would like the Forum Chairman’s Meeting to be presented with a table of
the number of staff at grade 4 and above at this date with the comparison
data representing the staff rank numbers at the end of the first year of
the HSE and the final head count under the same criteria in the final year
of the Health Boards.

The numbers of professional staff including medical, nursing, radiographers, Medical scientists, biochemists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers whould be provided for the same time lines.

This could form an objective foundation for a discussion which I would like
to have on the employment of independent external agencies to carry out
lean studies on the HSE central organisation and on the administration of each of the hospitals in the state at grade 4 level and above.

I have personal evidence of excessive layers of management in hospitals.

My purpose is to put the patient first. The patient is placed at the centre of our institutions patients’ charter and on the published core values of hospitals but the reality is often different.

Prior to taking the chair at Kells, some officials told me that for them, the impact of the forum had approximated to zero.

Given the needs and degree of angxt among the public concerning the health
services, that had to change. I hope I can make a constructive difference.

I propose that the Chairs take this idea back to each Forum and have a
country wide demand by Councillors to employ an independent external Lean Study to streamline operations and get objective value for money in
publicly funded health agencies. The HSE objective of reducing staff by natural wastage or financial incentive is very inefficient and not in the public interest. Implementation of a Lean Process is the way to go.

It is claimed that the Croke Park Agreement facilitates this objective. However, turkeys and christmas comes to my mind. So carrying this out is
likely to be met with resistance.

Best Regards

Dr Bill Tormey
Dublin City Councillor
167 Glasnevin Avenue
Dublin 11