Martin keeps pledge to set up agency to run hospitals

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin is keeping his promise to set up a specific agency to run the country’s hospitals next year in a revamp of the health service.

The National Health Strategy promises to increase the number of acute hospital beds by 3,000 over the next 10 years. Decisions on the allocation of the beds and where specialist treatments will be provided will be made by the National Hospital Agency.

The establishment of the hospital agency will take decisions on the management of hospitals out of the hands of the local health boards. It will also mean a central waiting list database will be set up. Health board bosses have backed the controversial move to centralise hospital management. The Health Board Chief Executive Officers Group says the funding and planning of hospitals should be given over to a national agency, but the lack of a hospital plan is a major impediment to the delivery of quality acute care.