New health czar must show vision, leadership and missionary zeal
His immediate mandate is to secure more treatment output with less resources. Public health expenditure peaked in 2009 at €15bn. The target next year is a ceiling of €13bn, despite a growing and ageing population with consequent extra health demands.
The HSE will be six years old next January. It replaced eight regional health boards, delivering localised community and hospital care. The theory was centralising into a single structure would rationalise management, effect greater efficiencies, harmonise standards and achieve economies of scale.
