HSE board meeting minutes 28 February 2025

Present:

Mr Ciarán Devane (Chairperson), Dr Yvonne Traynor, Mr Brendan Whelan, Mr Aogán Ó Fearghail, Mr Tim Hynes, Ms Anne Carrigy, Mr Matt Walsh, Ms Lily Collison, Mr Michael Cawley and Mr Kenneth Mealy

In Attendance for Board Meeting:

Mr Bernard Gloster (CEO), Mr Damien McCallion (CTTO), Mr Stephen Mulvany (CFO), Mr Pat Healy (ND Services & Schemes), Dr Colm Henry (Chief Clinical Officer), Ms Grace Rothwell (ND Access & Integration), Mr David Walsh (ND Access & Integration), Mr Tony Canavan (REO West & North West), Ms Sandra Broderick (REO Mid West), Ms Sara Long (REO Dublin & North East), Ms Kate Killen White (REO Dublin & Midlands), Ms Martina Queally (REO Dublin & South East), Dr Andy Phillips (REO South East), Mr Joseph Duggan (Chief Internal Auditor); Mr Brian O’Connell (ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery); Mr Patrick Lynch (ND Planning & Performance); Mr Joe Ryan (ND Public Involvement, Culture and Risk Management), Mr Mark Brennock (ND Communications), Ms Philippa Withero (AND HR), Mr Brian Murphy (Head of Corporate Affairs), Niamh Doody (CEO Office), Mr Dara Purcell (Corporate Secretary), Ms Niamh Drew (Deputy Corporate Secretary), Ms Patricia Perry (Office of the Board).

Joined the meeting:

Dr Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Minister for Health) and Mr Robert Watt (Secretary General DoH) (Item 3).

Minutes reflect the order in which items were considered and are numbered in accordance with the original agenda.  All performance/activity data used in this document refers to the latest information available at the time.

The Chairperson welcomed members to the meeting and provided an update to the Board during their private session.

2.1 Declarations of Interest

No other conflicts of interest were declared.

2.2 Chairperson’s Remarks

The Chairperson provided an update to the Board on a number of matters that would be discussed during the meeting.

2.3 Minutes of Board meeting

The Board approved the minutes of the Board meeting of 28 January 2025.

3.1 Meeting with Minister for Health, Dr Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

The Chairperson welcomed Minister for Health, Dr Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD and Mr Robert Watt, Secretary General Department of Health (DoH) to the Board meeting.

The Board provided the Minister with a high level overview of its work and achievements since its formation in 2019, and discussed priorities for 2025. It was noted that the Board’s overarching objectives is to support improved efficiency and increased productivity, as well as the ongoing focus on improving the quality of care, including ambitious targets for increasing activity and reducing waiting times, all of which are outlined in the National Service Plan.

The Minister acknowledged the work of the Board, CEO and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). She noted that overall, the health of the Irish population has improved substantially compared with other OECD counties and highlighted the immense contribution of staff in the HSE.

The Minister outlined her focus in delivering sustained improvements in the provision of safe and timely access to emergency and urgent care; to reducing waiting times for patients; improving access to hospital care; focus on further reducing Emergency Department overcrowding and enhancing urgent care services nationwide; progression of the Elective Hospitals Programme; and supporting the improvement of access for children and families to disability services.

The Minister and Board discussed the recent trends for urgent and emergency care over weekends, including St Brigid’s bank holiday weekend, the impact of those trends on patients and services and the need to maintain a focus on delivering safer and more timely access to emergency and urgent care for patients, whilst also providing a safer and better place to work for staff. It was acknowledged that fundamental to this is ensuring sufficient Senior Decision Makers are rostered to discharge patients throughout the entire week, including evenings, weekends and public holidays and support the provision of 7/7 services, as provided in the Public Only Consultant Contract.

The Minister discussed the Programme for Government’s commitment to develop a multi-annual funding approach for the health services, which links to productivity, staff levels and the delivery of services for patients. The Board welcomed consideration and agreed that multi annual budgets require greater accountability which would form the basis for driving better financial and operational performance. The Minister welcomed the work that has been carried out by the Board to date on the actions to achieve non-pay savings and efficiencies to ensure best value for money is delivered.

Noting that Disability services is not under her remit, the Minister outlined that a key priority is to significantly improve access for children and families to disability services, and that the availability of integrated services for children and families is a cornerstone of supporting each child to have the best chance to realise their potential.

The Minister discussed the challenges in recruitment within the health services, including Section 38 and 39 organisations and delays in the registration of health and social care professionals qualified outside of Ireland.

The Minister advised the Board of her joint visit with the Northern Ireland Health Minister, Mr Mike Nesbitt to the site of the new National Children’s Hospital (NCH) on 27 February 2025. A discussion was held with the Board relating to the commissioning and the planning for the opening of the NCH.

The Minister welcomed the launch of the HSE Patient App which she had launched on 25 February 2025, noting that it is an exciting milestone where patients have digital access to their own health information which will make it easier for everyone to navigate the health service.

The Chair thanked the Minister and Secretary General for joining the Board meeting.

Minister for Health and Secretary General left the meeting

4.1 Audit and Risk Committee

The minutes of the Committee meeting of 04 December 2024 were noted. The Committee Chairperson provided an overview to the Board on the matters considered at the Committee meeting that took place on 14 February 2025.

The Board held a discussion on the following areas:

• further initiatives and timelines to be considered relating to Non-pay savings,
• review of all property transactions under the current delegation in order to consider any adjustment required to policy going forward,
• controls regarding the level of authority to purchase, which the CEO agreed to bring a proposal to the Committee,
• costs relating to personal injury awards, and it was agreed that the Committee would invite Mr Ciaran Breen, Director, State Claims Agency to a future meeting.

4.2 Performance Committee

The minutes of the Committee meetings of 09 January 2025 were noted. The Committee Chairperson provided an overview to the Board on the matters considered at the Committee meeting that took place on 20 February 2025.

The Board held a discussion on the following areas:

• Incident at Portiuncula University Hospital, with an in-depth briefing being arranged with the CCO and the National Clinical Director for the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP).
• Deep dive on Specialist Disability Services, noting that Committee members would meet in advance of the next Committee meeting to consider how the Committee and Board should consider oversight of Disability Services.

4.3 Strategy and Reform Committee

The minutes of the Committee meetings of 14 January 2025 were noted. The Committee Chairperson provided an overview to the Board on the matters considered at the Committee meeting that took place on 19 February 2025.

The Board discussed the development of the next People Strategy for 2025 – 2027 and noted that the Performance Committee’s focus area in March will be Workforce. The Board requested that the CPO provide a short review of achievements of the People Strategy 2019-2024 and circulate to the Board for information.

5.1 CEO briefing to Board

The Board and CEO held a discussion in relation to items raised in the CEO report.

5.2 CEO Monthly Report

Members of the Senior Leadership Team joined the meeting

The Board discussed with members of the SLT the meeting held with the Minister for Health and outlined the Ministerial priorities.

The Board noted the approach for the planning for the St Patrick’s bank holiday weekend

and the importance of adequate rostering arrangements to ensure sufficient Senior Decision Makers are rostered throughout the entire week, including evenings, weekends and public holidays and support the provision of 7/7 services, as provided in the Public Only Consultant Contract.

The CEO reported to the Board on a number of the key significant areas as set out in the CEO Monthly Report.

The CEO reported to the Board the he has met with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Ms Norma Foley TD, and separately Minister of State for Disability, Ms Hildegarde Naughton TD, to discuss matters relating to Disability services.

The CEO referred to discussions relating to the requirement to achieve a significant amount of non-pay savings and efficiencies to ensure best value for money and an increasingly sustainable funded base for the health services. He advised the Board that in addition to the multiple actions and programmes underway at either cost avoidance or reduction, based on the recommendations from the Audit and Risk Committee, specific directives have been issued to the SLT which aims to target a number of areas of saving which are not only designed to reduce expenditure but also to drive a culture of improvement on how we manage and utilise public money in the public interest.

The CEO provided an update in relation to a company providing sensors and associated product to the HSE, noting that he had discussed recommendations with the Audit and Risk Committee Chair.

Further to the update to the Board in January, and due to a range of concerns relating to progress on the NCH Programme, a further update was provided to the Board. The Board questioned ambulance access to the NCH during peak traffic periods and it was agreed that a response would be circulated to the Board.

Board members Michael Cawley and Brendan Whelan left the meeting

Board Strategic Scorecard

The Board noted and approved the End of Year Board Strategic Scorecard reflecting November and December 2024 data, for submission to the Minister for Health, and Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

The Board noted the new format and cycle of the new monthly National Performance Report (NPR) which now replaces the Board Strategic Scorecard, and will form the core content to the CEO Board report each month.

6.1 Draft HSE Corporate Plan 2025-2027

The CEO presented the final draft of the Corporate Plan 2025-2027, which takes account of previous Board direction and has been reviewed in the context of the new Programme for Government.

The draft Corporate Plan was considered by the Strategy and Reform Committee on 9 February 2025, and with the recommendation of the CEO and the Committee, the Board approved the draft Plan. The Board noted that the Chair and CEO will engage with both Ministers to finalise, and following this engagement, the final version will be brought to the Board for agreement and publication. Decision No.: 280225/01

The Board welcomed that the Plan has been developed internally and is based on extensive consultation with over 200 key internal and external stakeholders.

6.2 Contracts & Properties

As recommended by the Audit & Risk Committee for approval, the Board considered and approved the following proposed contracts and properties:

1. 1. 1. Contract Extension Approval for the Provision of SAP Managed Services & Hosting Contract Decision No.: 280225/02
      2. Strategic Acquisition of Hertz Europe Service Centre Ltd, Seatown, Swords, Co Dublin Decision No.: 280225/03

Anne Carrigy, Board member reported on the quarterly meeting held with the Chief Nursing Officer and Director Nursing and Midwifery, DoH.

There was no further business. The meeting concluded at 3.02pm.