New platform launched to provide 'greater transparency and accountability' in health service

Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said the new platform is a vital tool to monitor the impact of health reforms in real time. File Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

A new platform aimed at providing “greater transparency and accountability” on the performance and outcomes in the Irish health service has been launched.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the Health System Performance Assessment (HSPA) platform would be a “vital tool” to monitor the impacts of ongoing health policy and Sláintecare reforms in real-time.

Created using funding from the European Commission, the HSPA platform has data on over 185 different measures related to Ireland’s health system in the areas of life expectancy, level of access to health services, and the quality of care provided. It plans to populate the platform with data on 268 indicators in total.

A statement from the Department of Health said the HSPA would give the public the chance to become better informed about the nation’s health as well as important issues that are central to the provision of health services in Ireland.

It would also give them a clearer picture of how the health service is performing and a “better understanding” of the impact of health policies on people’s lives.

It’s also intended to help policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and the media to assess healthcare performance and efficiency going forward.

Countries such as Italy, Belgium, and Malta already have similar platforms and Mr Donnelly said it would help identify areas that require additional effort and attention based on clear evidence demonstrated in the data.

He added what’s contained in the data showed an “awful lot to be encouraged about” in terms of the direction of travel for the country.

“The new HSPA website is a hive of health data and statistics which demonstrate an ever-improving picture in the health of the nation, including on cancer survival rates and healthy lifestyle choices, with life expectancy in Ireland amongst the highest in the EU,” he said.

“It also helps us to compare and measure our health outcomes and performance with EU colleagues and against international standards.” 

As the platform launched, it had varied statistics such as the quantity of cigarettes smoked per capita in Ireland, out-of-pocket spending on health, and the number of hospital inpatients who reported being able to talk to a nurse when needed.

From the HSE’s perspective, the creation of the platform helps move towards a more “measurable and quantifiable” model of monitoring performance and accountability according to its national director for operational performance and integration Joe Ryan.

“As it develops, the HSPA will provide a more rounded assessment of how the health service is performing,” Mr Ryan said.

“Where we have previously focused on recording the quantity of our services, ultimately our aim is to measure the outcomes of what we deliver, the experience of patients in accessing and receiving our services together with assessing the value of our services.”