Terms of Reference: Planning and Performance Committee

The role of the Committee is to advise the Board on all matters relating to planning and performance within the health service to ensure that performance is optimised across all relevant domains of the agreed balanced-scorecard to ensure a better experience for patients and service users.

The Committee will seek to operate at all times with the perspective of people who use our national health services - patients and their loved ones, people with disabilities, people who use our mental health services and the full range of our social services, both children and adults - as a key driver of our work. Our guiding principle will be taken from the HSE’s Performance and Accountability Framework: “Accountability is about delivering on a commitment. It’s responsibility to an outcome, not just a set of tasks. It’s taking initiative with thoughtful, strategic follow-through”.

Planning

In pursuit of its role, the Committee will provide strategic oversight of and advice on matters relating to planning for, developing and monitoring of relevant plans to ensure that they are delivering on the Board’s objectives.

This will include in particular the annual National Service Plan (NSP) and any “offshoots” from the plan, including any special Winter plans, Waiting List plans ; the Annual Report of the HSE, and from time to time updates to Corporate and strategic plans.

Performance

It will focus its attention on the key areas of performance achievement, improvement and learning in the context of an appropriate accountability framework. In doing so, it is recognised that there will be an incremental and ongoing approach to developing a comprehensive scorecard against which to measure progress and to measure, guide and report on the performance of the health and social care system.

The Committee will work with the Executive to continually refine the approach. The Committee is not responsible for any executive functions and is not vested with any executive powers.

In relation to its duties and functions, it fulfils an advisory and support role for the Board only. We see it as our responsibility to enable the Board to have timely access and full advice on any proposals requiring decision.

The Committee is authorised by the Board of the Health Service Executive to use its oversight role in relation to:

• all aspects of performance and delivery within the health service
• development of strategic and annual service and other plans
• assuring the Board that these plans are comprehensive, robust and appropriately reflect the priorities of the Minister and of the Board
• reviewing performance against such plans
• reviewing high-level risks relating to performance delivery
• seeking any information or explanations that it requires from any employee of the HSE or agency totally or partially funded by the HSE
• obtaining independent legal or professional advice procured in accordance with the HSE’s procurement policy
• seeking the attendance of persons with relevant experience and expertise at the Committee meeting as necessary
• reporting on and escalating any matter it deems relevant to be brought to the attention of the Board

The scope of the Committee’s authority extends to all aspects of planning and performance within the public health service.

The Committee’s duties are to advise the Board on all matters relating to performance.

More specifically, the Board requires the Committee to advise it on the following matters:

Planning

1. Establishing a schedule for annual service planning which allows time for serious consideration of priorities and plans for the upcoming year.
2. Advising on and overseeing the development of strategic and annual service plans covering capital and revenue expenditure.
3. Assuring the Board that these plans are comprehensive, robust and appropriately reflect the priorities of the Minister and of the Board.

Performance

1. Assuring the Board that performance against such plans is being appropriately measured and that any necessary corrective action is being planned, implemented and monitored to ensure achievement of objectives.
2. Overseeing the development and continued refinement of dashboards with key performance indicators relating to performance.
3. Measuring and monitoring progress against the dashboards with key performance indicators.

Other Duties

1. Reviewing high-level risks relating to performance delivery and advise on management mechanisms and actions to improve these working in consultation with the other Board Committees with a risk remit.
2. Advising on systems and processes with regard to communications in relation to performance achievement and performance improvement.
3. Conducting deep dives on individual important elements of HSE work to establish that they are being managed effectively, and that the needs and rights of the people who use our services are being met to the maximum possible extent.