New HSE chief assured of new posts

THE incoming chief executive of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has sought funding for four additional posts at the hospital where he works prior to accepting his new job.

Professor Brendan Drumm, who is due to take over at the helm of the HSE on August 15, requested the appointment of a new professor of paediatrics for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin and UCD (the position he is vacating), he also sought:

* The creation of a permanent post of tutor/postgraduate tutor for the hospital.

* The appointment of a clinical epidemiologist funded at a college lecturer salary (currently dependent on research funding raised by Professor Drumm).

* The appointment of a paediatric gastroenterologist /hepatologist.

* The creation of an additional consultant post to cope with the workload Prof Drumm will leave behind.

In a letter to the chairman of the HSE Liam Downey dated April 12 and obtained under FoI, Prof Drumm says the above posts “need to be confirmed” by the HSE to prevent the collapse of “an important national paediatric speciality service”.

It is understood the requests were designed to alert the HSE to the vacuum his absence would create at Crumlin, where he is a consultant paediatrician, and UCD, where he is professor of paediatrics, and were not a prerequisite for him accepting the HSE job.

In reply, chairman of the HSE, Liam Downey, wrote on June 15: “It has been agreed to commit the necessary replacement and additional resources to ensure the quality of service in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin will not be diminished as a result of you accepting the HSE post.”

Mr Downey also confirmed the “support and advisory resources requested by you” (Prof Drumm), six reforming strategists, would be made available.

Chief officer of Comhairle na nOspideal Tommie Martin is to take over as director of Prof Drumm’s office and chief executive of St James’s Hospital John O’Brien will also come on board.

Three of the strategists will be recruited through the public procurement process and potential candidates will be notified on August 12.

Prof Drumm also referred to his disappointment at the amount of information leaked to the media prior to his appointment as head of the HSE.