HSE move to tighten budgets

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) is to appoint four regional directors on a one-year-contract, who each face losing control of their budget to central management if they fail to meet targets.

To date, responsibility in the health service has been spread between a number of executives with no one person accountable for all services in the region.

Yesterday the HSE’s national director of Primary, Community and Continuing Care (PCCC), Laverne McGuinness, admitted this arrangement had not been in the best interest of patients and clients.