Choices to be made by managers
As the summer draws to a close the focus shifts to the upcoming winter pressures that face hospitals and the wider health service. The much anticipated HSE winter plan sets out the €40 million funding being made available across the health sector. While welcome, there is a requirement on us all to look at different ways of working to really make a change. This is reflected in the theme of this year’s HMI conference, GETTING IT RIGHT, which harks back to the frequently quoted comment about continuing to do the same thing and yet hoping to get different results. For us managers, and our colleagues throughout the health services, making the right choices may be our most important contribution in 2017.
Some of these choices will involve strategic decisions changing fundamentally the way services are provided. Others will bring about changes to organisational structures, as reflected by the Director General’s recent communication regarding changes in the HSE corporate structure or the introduction of new technologies with significant potential for enhancing the delivery of clinical care.
The conference aims to help managers to answer the questions about choices to be made arising from the political, economic, social and technical changes in the healthcare environment. The opening address by Mr. Simon Harris T.D., Minister for Health will set the scene as he outlines his vision for healthcare delivery in Ireland and his expectations of managers responsible for turning that vision into reality.
Leading speakers from home and abroad will lead an informed and provocative debate on the significant levers shaping the future of healthcare delivery in Ireland, with the afternoon session focusing on the people side of management. We will look at the patient perspective, the management of staff and the pressures, stresses and resilience of both. As usual, the conference design will provide plenty of opportunity to listen and debate and I hope to see as many of you as possible at the conference on September 29.
In October the Italian health managers’ association will be hosting the 26th European Association of Hospital Managers Congress in Bologna and I would encourage you to look at the programme available at http://www.eahm-bologna2016.com The programme highlights that the challenges we face are not unique to the Irish health service and offers varying perspectives from across Europe.
Lucy Nugent
President
HMI
