The HSE restructuring process, which aims to establish six health regions, is currently in an interim period which is due to end on Monday 3rd March. At a meeting on Monday 17th February the HSE confirmed that the next phase would be a six-month ‘implementation period’. However, as the union underlined and the HSE confirmed, there is nothing agreed to implement yet and therefore discussions will continue over the months ahead. 

In practical terms this means that all structures below the level of senior management team, will remain unchanged during this period, while discussions are ongoing about the appropriate future structure within each health region.  

As part of the transition to Sláintecare Fórsa has been involved in ongoing engagement with the HSE  around restructuring. First announced in 2019, the health regions were designed to devolve HSE decision-making and allow for regional planning, funding, and delivery of integrated health care services. Though six Regional Executive Officers (REOs) have been appointed, numerous issues remain under discussion. 

These include grading of management roles, heads of service, networks of care and clinical care programmes, a regional director of HSCP, a regional disability role, HR operating models and more.   

At the same meeting it became clear that the private consultancy firm PWC are heavily involved in mapping the staff and grading structure across the different health regions.

Fórsa expressed significant concerns about the over involvement of a private for-profit third-party company in the health regions restructuring process and asked for the costs associated with the use of private consultancies. In a letter to members issued on Thursday 20th February national secretaries Ashley Connolly and Linda Kelly reminded members that they should not engage with or provide information to PWC Ireland or any similar private for-profit consultancy firm.  

The next meeting on health regions restructuring will place on Friday 21st March and the union will continue to update members.  

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