HSE Strategy and Reform Committee Meeting Minutes 12 March 2025

Committee Members Present

Tim Hynes (Chair), Matt Walsh, Aogán Ó Fearghail, Sarah Barry, Martin Mc Cormack, Derick Mitchell.

Apologies

Brendan Whelan, Barry Lowry.

HSE Executive Attendance

Damien McCallion (CTTO), Sara Long (REO Dublin and North East), Patrick Lynch (ND Planning and Performance), Grace Rothwell (ND Access and Integration), Niamh Drew (Deputy Corporate Secretary), Rebecca Kennedy (Office of the Board).

Joined the Meeting

Pat Moran (PwC), Philippa Withero (AND HR Workforce Planning), Martin McKeith (AND Children’s Hospital Project Programme), Brian O’Connell (ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery), David Walsh (ND Access and Integration Disabilities), Gerry Tully (AND Adult Disability Services), Jo Shortt (AND Organisational Change Unit), Maurice Power (Health Region Corporate Implementation Lead), Philip Crowley (ND Wellbeing, Equality, Climate and Global Health), Roisin Breen (Programme Lead for Climate), Kevin Sheridan (Capital and Estates), Neal Mullen (CISO), Joe Ryan (CRO), Louise O’Hare (AND Transformation), Gary Holohan (PwC).

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, noting that the focus of the meeting would be to receive updates on key items and to suggest relevant actions as they became apparent.

P Moran joined the meeting and briefed Committee members on the PwC NIST Cyber Security Framework (CSF) Audit.

P Moran left the meeting

1. Declarations of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

2. Committee Meeting Minutes

The Committee approve the minutes of 19 February 2025.

3. Committee Workplan 2025

The Committee approved changes to its workplan 2025 which were circulated in advance of the meeting.

4. Committee Annual Report 2024

The Committee approved its draft Annual Report 2024 which was circulated in advance of the meeting.

HSE Executive members joined the meeting

1. National Children’s Hospital (NCH) - Workforce

The ND Planning and Performance briefed the Committee on the NCH – Workforce and the Committee noted papers circulated in advance of the meeting which covered: the Operational Readiness Review [the Samson Report] as it relates to CHI’s senior leadership; Workforce planning for the new hospital; and Workforce engagement and mobilisation.

The Committee discussed in particular the process for bringing staff together from the current three children’s hospitals to form one workforce for the NCH. The Committee requested that a paper providing further information in relation to factors requiring an increase in CHI’s workforce be provided in advance of the next Board meeting on 28 March 2025.

AND HR Workforce Planning and AND Children’s Hospital Project Programme left the meeting

2. National Maternity Hospital

ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery joined the meeting

The ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery briefed the Committee on Governance and Accountability arrangements in the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) at St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) Programme. The Committee noted papers circulated in advance of the meeting which covered: NMH at SVUH Governance Structure; NMH at SVUH Programme Board; Learning from the NCH; and Risk Management.

The Committee discussed in particular the procurement strategy for the NMH at SVUH and it was agreed a paper covering lessons learned re tendering on NCH and their application to the NMH at SVUH would be shared with Committee in advance of the next Board meeting on 28 March 2025. The Committee also discussed patient representation on the NMH at SVUH Programme Board.

ND Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery left the meeting

1. Disability Services

AND Adult Disability Services joined the meeting

The ND Access and Integration Disabilities briefed the Committee on Specialist Disability Services. The Committee noted a paper circulated in advance of the meeting which covered: Residential Services; Day Services; Respite Services; PA and Home Support Services; Community Neuro-rehabilitation Services; Children’s Disability Services; Assessment of Need; and Workforce Growth.

The Committee discussed in particular the pay agreement for Section 39 workers which had been finalised and its impact on future workforce planning. The Committee requested that a breakdown of fees paid by the HSE to private organisations to provide disability services be provided.

ND Access and Integration Disabilities and AND Adult Disability Services left the meeting

1. EHR Business Case

The CTTO provided an update to the Committee on the EHR business case outlining the current phase of the tender and procurement process and expected timelines of the project. It is currently proposed that it will be considered by the Committee at a special meeting as well as the ARC before going to the May Board meeting for approval.

The Committee discussed the importance of data clean-up to ensure full functionality of the EHR and it was agreed that the HSE Chief Data and Analytics Officer would be invited to future meeting in relation to this.

2. Climate Action Programme

ND Wellbeing, Equality, Climate and Global Health (WECGH), R Breen and K Sheridan joined the meeting

The ND WECGH updated the Committee on the Climate Action and Sustainability Programme and the implementation of the HSE Climate Action Strategy 2023-2050 and HSE Capital and Estates Infrastructure Decarbonisation Roadmap. The briefing covered the Programme’s Governance Structure, Metrics and Reporting, Programme Investment, Deliverables and Dependencies; External Collaborators, and Risks & Issues. The Committee thanked the ND WECGH for the update and expressed its strong support for the Programme.

ND Wellbeing, Equality, Climate and Global Health, R Breen and K Sheridan left the meeting

1. Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) Model of Care Reform / Progress Report

AND Organisational Change Unit and Health Region Corporate Implementation Lead joined the meeting

The AND Organisational Change Unit updated the Committee on the ISD Model of Care and progress on the Reform Programme. The update included the Reform Programme Strategic objectives; Health Regions Programme Progress to Date; HSE Centre New Structure; Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) Model; and Proposed Phased Implementation Approach; and the Health Regions programme Deliverables and Roadmap. An update was also provided on the current status of the HSE Centre reform programme / structures and redeployment to the regions.

The Committee discussed the balance between the work of the HSE Centre and the Regions and acknowledged the complexity of the work required in this Programme.

REO Dublin North East, AND Organisational Change Unit and Health Region Corporate Implementation Lead left the meeting

CISO and P Moran joined the meeting

1. PwC NIST Cyber Security Framework (CSF) Audit / 2. National Cyber Programme Plan

P Moran briefed the Committee on the findings of the PwC NIST Cyber Security Framework (CSF) Audit and the Committee discussed the findings with the CTTO. The Committee highlighted the importance of Board and Committee assurance concerning audit findings. It was agreed that a comprehensive outline on the HSE approach to audit findings and a tracking document outlining all issues/actions/follow-ups from the Cyber audit be provided.

The Committee was updated on the HSE’s Digital Health Strategic Implementation Roadmap for the Department of Health Digital for Care Framework (DFC) 2024-2030. The HSE National Cybersecurity Plan was highlighted as it addresses key requirements from audit findings and will bolster the HSE’s NIST CSF rating. The Committee discussed the current NIST rating.

CISO and P Moran left the meeting

CRO joined the meeting

The CRO presented the Q4 2024 Corporate Risk Register (CRR) and accompanying Committee extract and metric report to the Committee. The Q4 2024 Corporate Risk Register was reviewed and approved at the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meeting on the 28th January and subsequently brought to the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Committee discussed its allocated principal risks (R006 Major Infrastructure, R007 Cyber Security and R008 Health Regions) and noted no change to risk status. The CRO advised that the upcoming Risk Appetite Statement will inform the next quarterly report and changes are likely to be seen in the Q1 2025 CRR Review. The Committee noted the Q4 2024 CRR and associated documentation and confirmed its intention to give risk significant attention going forward.

1. Organisation Culture

The CRO updated the Committee on the Organisation Culture Programme and the work of the Organisational Culture Group. The briefing included: Programme Objectives and Scope; Programme Benefits and Investment; Programme Governance; Key programme Deliverables and Timelines; and Achievements to Date.

The Committee discussed the challenges of implementing culture change, especially in an organisation as large and fragmented as the HSE. The Committee thanked the CRO for the update and expressed its strong support for the Programme.

CRO left the meeting

1. Proposed Quarterly Reporting Approach

The Committee noted papers submitted by the ND Planning and Performance circulated in advance of the meeting which outlined a proposed reporting framework for the Corporate Plan. It was agreed that Committee members would send any feedback in relation the Corporate Plan reporting process via email for the ND Planning and Performance’s attention.

The Committee noted papers submitted by the CTTO circulated in advance of the meeting which outlined a proposed reporting framework for the HSE Transformation Programme. It was agreed that Committee members would send any feedback in relation the reporting process via email for the CTTO’s attention.

The Committee discussed the HSE People Strategy 2025-27 and highlighted the need to ensure that assurances are provided regarding the Strategy’s implementation it was agreed that the Chair and M Walsh would engage with HR in relation to its progression and the Strategy would be submitted to the Committee when finalised.

Terms of Reference: Strategy and Reform Committee