HSE Performance Committee Meeting Minutes 15 May 2025

Committee Members Present

Brendan Whelan (Chair), Tim Hynes, Matt Walsh, Lily Collison and Kenneth Mealy.

HSE Executive Attendance

Patrick Lynch (ND Planning and Performance), Joe Ryan (CRO), Colm Henry (CCO), Pat Healy (ND National Services), John Smith (AND Access and Integration), Paula McFadden (GM Strategic Workforce Planning & Intelligence), Gerry Tully (AND Disabilities – Adults), Kate Killeen White (REO Dublin Midlands), Miin Alikhan (AND Planning), Martin McKeith (Assistant Lead Director Children’s Hospital Project Programme), Deirdre McNamara (Director of Strategic Programme CCO Office), Ronan Buckley (CCO Office), Niamh Drew (Deputy Corporate Secretary), Rebecca Kennedy (Office of the Board).

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 Committee held a private session to review the agenda, the relevant papers and approach to conducting the meeting.

1. Declarations of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

2. Minutes

The Committee approved the minutes of 24 April 2025.

3. Matters for Noting

ARC Briefing Note re Acute Mental Health Unit (AMHU) CUH

The Committee requested an updated paper be provided and deferred this item to the June Committee meeting.

Briefing on Confidential Recipient function

The Committee noted the above paper which had been circulated in advance of the meeting.

CRO joined the meeting

The CRO presented the Q1 2025 Corporate Risk Register (CRR) and accompanying Committee extract and metric report to the Committee. The Q1 2025 Corporate Risk Register was reviewed and approved at the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meeting on the 22 April 2025 and subsequently brought to the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Committee discussed its allocated principal risks (R001 Delivery of Care, R002 Standards of Safety and Care, R004 Health Care Acquired Infections and Anti-Microbial Resistance, and R007 Cyber Security) and the CRO outlined changes in the residual risk ratings for R002 and R007.

The Committee noted the Q1 2025 CRR and associated documentation.

CRO left the meeting

ND Planning and Performance (P&P), REO Dublin Midlands, and M McKeith joined the meeting

The Committee noted the briefing on the New Children’s Hospital (NCH) which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The briefing provided an update specifically on the HSE commissioned CHI Operational Readiness Review [the ‘Samson’ Report] undertaken in 2024 and progress made on implementing the recommendations arising from the Review.

The ND P&P updated the Committee on the status of the New Children’s Hospital (NCH) and confirmed that the reported Substantial Completion Date is now September 2025. This will be confirmed once BAM submit their updated programme. The Committee noted progress made to date however, expressed concern in relation to the timescale for the commissioning work. It was agreed that a visit to the NCH would be arranged, with pathways illustrated during the visit.

REO Dublin Midlands and M McKeith left the meeting

CCO, ND National Services, AND Access & Integration, AND Planning, P McFadden, R Buckley and D McNamara joined the meeting

1. National Performance Report (NPR)

The NPR (March 2025 Data) and accompanying briefing paper, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, were noted. The March 2025 NPR presents the HSE’s performance through the four lenses of the Balanced Scorecard [Quality, Access, People, Money], against a subset of the KPIs contained in the National Service Plan [NSP] 2025.

The Committee noted the key metrics relating to: Screening Programmes; UEC; Scheduled Care; Urgent Colonoscopy; Cancer Rapid Access Clinics; Primary Care Therapies; CAMHs; Home support – Older persons; Disability Services; Human Resources; and Finance which were highlighted by the ND Planning and Performance. The Committee also noted that the March NPR is the first quarterly report in the new format and includes in Part 2, the status of priority NSP actions due to be delivered in 2025.

AND Planning left the meeting

2. Disabilities Report

AND Disabilities - Adults joined the meeting

The Committee noted the briefing on Disabilities Home Support Services provided by ND Access and Integration which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The briefing provided an update on Service Provision and Demand; Intensive Support Packages; Drivers for Change; the Disability Home Support Authorisation Scheme; and Risks.

The Committee discussed the significant negative implications relating to the proposed employment of therapists by the Dept. of Education in special schools.

AND Disabilities – Adults and AND Access & Integration left the meeting

3. Briefing re Primary Care Therapies

The Committee noted the briefing on Primary Care Therapies provided by ND National Services which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The briefing provided an update specifically on Waiting List Trends; the DoH & HSE Joint Steering Group Reform Programme; Waiting List Model; and Productivity, and was provided at the request of the Committee at its April meeting following a review of performance in this area.

The Committee noted the decrease in services between 2019 and 2024. It discussed in particular the significant drop in staffing levels outlined. It was agreed that the Committee would continue to provide oversight in this area.

ND National Services and P McFadden left the meeting

1. Briefing on Process re Clinical Commentary and Performance / 6.2 CCO Report

The Committee noted the briefing on the proposed Chief Clinical Officer Report on Key Clinical Areas of Focus provided by the CCO which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The briefing detailed new reporting structures developed in collaboration with the HSE Board and the CEO to enable the Committee to have greater insight into clinical issues deemed high priority.

The briefing included a sample of the CCO Report which will come to the Committee quarterly and the Committee agreed that this reporting would begin in June 2025. These reports will include Clinical Commentary on the NPR and the Chief Clinical Officer report on Clinical Areas of Focus.

The CCO also provided a verbal update on Maternity services in PUH.

2. NPR Clinical KPI Report

The Committee noted the papers provided by the CCO which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The papers provided a clinical commentary on key clinical KPI’s in the NPR including Urgent Colonoscopy, Screening Services, and Cancer Rapid Access Clinics as requested by the Committee at its April meeting.

The Committee queried whether there was a mechanism within the HSE to evaluate and track the performance and outcomes of clinical interventions against their cost. The CCO advised that this is not currently established but can revert with a proposal of what such a unit would look like.

3. Open Disclosure Annual Report

The Committee noted the briefing on the Open Disclosure Annual Report 2024 provided by the CCO which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The briefing provided an overview of Scally Report reporting requirements, DoH Open Disclosure Framework, Legislative Requirements for Open Disclosure, and the HSE Open Disclosure Policy.

The Committee noted the Open Disclosure Annual Report 2024 which was submitted to the Committee to fulfil obligatory reporting requirements which include submission to the Department of Health and publication on the HSE Website. It was agreed that a briefing on HSE Quality and Safety mechanisms which outlines how they relate to each other would be provided to the Committee.

No matters arose under this item.

The meeting ended at 17:04.

Terms of Reference: Performance Committee