HSE urged to reform as huge regional funding gaps emerge

THE amount of health funding allocated per head of population varies widely depending on where you live, from more than €4,500 per capita in west Cork to less than €600 in Co Meath, a report shows.

The report, which recommends the urgent introduction of a new model of resource allocation, proposes the Health Service Executive (HSE) takes the size, age and sex of the relevant population into account when making funding decisions.

Currently, 32 local health offices (LHOs) have managerial responsibility for ensuring services are provided to the resident population of that area. However, the system is not straightforward because a number of agencies working within an LHO area may offer services that overlap, or have separate funding streams. There may also be separate boundaries for primary care, hospital services and mental health, making it difficult to administer funding.