HSE reforms will give real value for money

YOUR recent editorial and feature on the health services (August 5) makes a number of important points in relation to the compelling need not so much for ‘reform’ (which is now jaded of any meaning) as a fundamental rethinking of how to rebuild a health service that is truly accessible to all and adequately reflects the expertise and commitment of all those involved in delivering care.

I wish to add a word or two on the specific issue of the HSE’s financial systems to which reference was made.

As an independent member of an advisory group appointed by the HSE to look at some of the key issues in this field — and speaking in a purely personal capacity — a number of points should be made.

The HSE inherited boards a highly fragmented set of financial systems and arrangements.

This created statutory, technical and organisational difficulties, but very significant progress has, in fact, been made in the transition to an integrated, greatly simplified and secure set of payments arrangements.

The progress is all the more commendable since the resources available to manage the transition to a unified national system have been very limited and all of the additional work has had to be accommodated within an already intensive workload.

When completed, it will provide consistent and secure payments arrangements across the HSE and, in the process, deliver significantly greater value for money than was possible within the system which the HSE inherited.

Prof Ray Kinsella

Ashford

Co Wicklow