Patients can expect easier access to more responsive and uniform health services across the State, the Health Service Executive has promised in relation to major structural changes unveiled today.
The
Executive plans to establish nine Community Healthcare Organisations
across the State, to replace the 17 Integrated Service Areas under which
non-hospital services are currently grouped.
Each
Community Healthcare Organisation will comprise 10 Primary Care
Networks, each one with a population of about 50,000, to provide access
to services such as social care, mental health and health promotion.
“In effect, every large town and
hinterland and every large district of a city will be supported through a
Primary Care Network,” according to the review group which has drawn up
the report recommending the changes.
For the
first time, “an identified, accountable person” will be responsible for
delivering services to local populations within the network. Greater
involvement of family doctors in primary care will be encouraged through
the employment of part-time GP Leads within each network.
The
move is a natural sequel to the decision last year to create regional
groups for all hospital services. Progress on forming hospital groups
has so far been slow, largely because of difficulties recruiting
qualified staff to take up chief executive roles.
The
report acknowledges many people have difficulty “navigating” the health
system because of its complexity and scale. “What must be improved is
how these parts fit together so that the services are integrated and
people can move smoothly through the system. Staff must be organised in a
way that enables joined-up teamwork, responsive to the assessed needs
of the local people.”
It stresses the importance
of developing “a new integrated model of care, which is responsive to
the needs of local communities”.
HSE chief
executive Tony O’Brien said the new arrangements would facilitate a
further move to treating patients locally at the lowest level of
complexity possible. “For the first time, we have clarity on the
management and leadership required in the collection of services we call
primary care.
In addition, we have clarity on how specialist community
services in disability, older persons, mental health and health and
wellbeing interface with primary care.”
The HSE
says the new structure will make it easier for people in local
communities to access services, navigate from community care to hospital
service and discharge back to the community.
Links between the health
service and local authorities, Garda Siochana and the Child and Family
Agency will also be improved.
Patients with
complex care needs will have a named “key worker” from their local
primary care team assigned to them, whose job it will be to ensure they
get access to day care, meals on wheels, respite, hospitals and other
services.
The HSE plans to have the new structures
in place early next year, after consultation with unions in line with
the Haddington Road Agreement. It says the move from 17 local bodies to
nine will see a reduction in management structures at senior level. The
creation of 90 networks will be achieved through the reorganisation and
re-assignment of existing resources and staff.
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