Prof Brendan Drumm formally takes over as head of HSE

The new head of the Health Service Executive, Prof Brendan Drumm, has formally taken up his post.

Prof Drumm, a consultant paediatrician, is now responsible for more than 100,000 staff working within the public healthcare system throughout the country.

One of his first jobs is to oversee the transition from the former health board structure to a single, unified management system.

In a statement this morning, he said he hoped to meet as many employees as possible in the coming weeks to hear their views on how to improve the health service.