Deal ends HSE crisis as Drumm takes up top post
His acceptance of the highest-paid job in the public sector comes just two weeks after he walked away from the position of chief executive of the HSE because neither it nor the Department of Health could guarantee his return to an academic consultancy post on completion of his term.
Last night, a spokesperson for consultant paediatrician Prof Drumm said he had changed his mind because his long-term future, when his possible eight-year stint with the HSE expires, had been assured.
“He’s satisfied that he has the necessary assurances in place to return to both academic and clinical practices,” the spokesman said.
Prof Drumm is currently professor of paediatrics at University College Dublin (UCD) and a consultant at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said there had been no change to the financial package offered to Prof Drumm when he originally rejected the post. Nor was there any change to the team of six reform strategists Prof Drumm has chosen to assist him in his new post.
Prof Drumm had originally indicated, when talks broke down two weeks ago, that there had been some resistance in the health service to him bringing in his own reform team.
The e1 million provided by the HSE to fund the team remains in place, as does Prof Drumm’s salary and perks worth €400,000.
Last night Prof Drumm said it was a job he always wanted to do “even when things did come apart”.
He said he was looking forward to the challenge of leading health reform, and that it was “a great honour and a privilege to be entrusted with this role”.
He said he would be working with the HSE to ensure a smooth transition for his patients at Our Lady’s Hospital prior to him taking up his chief executive post on August 15.
He thanked UCD for a “creative suggestion” which will allow him return to his academic post at the level of professor at the end of five years, with an option of an additional three.
He added that he looked forward to working with the HSE in delivering “the right care in the right place at the right time”.
Liam Downey, chairman of the board of the HSE, said he was delighted Prof Drumm was taking the job, saying he had an outstanding clinical reputation and would bring energy, vision and authority to the post.
Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney welcomed Prof Drumm’s change of heart.
“He will bring dynamic leadership to the HSE and I look forward to him bringing vision and leadership to this critical role,” she said.
Chairman of the Irish Patient’s Association Stephen McMahon said the group was delighted the HSE had a new chief executive on the day the former health board chiefs stepped down.
Irish Hospital Consultant’s general secretary Finbarr Fitzpatrick said the absence of a permanent HSE chief had “led to a paralysis in the health service for the past seven weeks”.
Fine Gael’s health spokesperson Dr Liam Twomey said that Prof Drumm was of outstanding calibre. He added that he hoped he would bring with him accountability and transparency to the health service “which I believe has been disappearing since the split between the HSE and the Department of Health”.
Prof Drumm will head up the Government’s most ambitious reform programme, as well as overseeing a staff of almost 100,000 and managing a budget of €11bn.
The professor immediate challenges are to tackle the A&E crisis and to get GPs to agree to treat patients under the new “doctor-visit only” medical card.
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