Health boards to be replaced by regional executives

The Government is reportedly planning to replace health boards with four regional executives as part of the restructuring of the health service.

The plans are contained in an audit of the service carried out by consultants hired by the Department of Health.

The audit, due to be published next month, reportedly says that the replacement of health boards would lead to more input from professionals and consumers and less from local politicians.

The audit also recommends that the number of independent agencies involved in the supervision and delivery of healthcare should be halved to around 30 and that a new national health agency should take responsibility for Ireland's hospitals.