RHAs will be empowered by ensuring, as far as possible, the other organisations involved in healthcare planning and delivery – the National HSE and the two Government departments (the DoH, and the DCEDIY) only perform those functions that cannot be carried out effectively by the regions, according to the HSE Annual Report for 2022.
It says that in this context, the transition to RHAs will have a significant impact on the roles and responsibilities of the National HSE and the two Departments.
“The proposed high-level roles and responsibilities within the new RHA arrangements, as outlined within the plan, were developed in 2022 by staff from the HSE and the two departments through five programme workstreams, Healthcare Governance Finance, People and Development, Capital Infrastructure, Digital and ICT and Change, Communications and Culture. These workstreams align with the World Health Organisation’s building blocks of a health system.
“The transition to RHAs is planned for January 1, 2024 and will continue to progress throughout 2024. By January 1, 2024, the aim is that the six RHA Chief Executive Officers and, as far as possible, their Senior Management Teams will be in place and fully accountable for the delivery of services and associated resources within their regions. During 2024, the existing Hospital Group and CHO structures will be stood down on a phased basis as the new RHA arrangements are established.”
