The Health Service Executive (HSE), or Feidhmeannacht na Serbhíse Sláinte (FSS) in Irish, is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005. It replaces the ten regional Health Boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and a number of other different agencies and organisations. The Minister for Health and Children has overall responsibility for the Executive in Government.
HSE Regions
The HSE delivers its services through fifty-one Public Hospitals and thirty- two Local Health Offices nationwide. The HSE is divided into four administrative areas:
- HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster - (South Dublin, County Kildare, County Wicklow, County Longford, County Westmeath, County Laois and County Offaly)
- HSE Dublin North East - (North Dublin, County Meath, County Louth, County Cavan and County Monaghan)
- HSE South - (County Cork, County Kerry,South Tipperary, County Wexford, County Waterford, County Carlow and County Kilkenny)
- HSE West - (County Galway, County Mayo, County Roscommon, County Limerick, County Clare, North Tipperary, Donegal, Sligo, and County Leitrim)
Board of directors
The Chief executive officer is Professor Brendan Drumm.
Criticism
The HSE is frequently portrayed by the Irish media as an inefficient, top-heavy, bloated and excessively bureaucratic organisation defined by cronyism, budget overruns and an excessively "manager-oriented" culture where middle management and consultants' demands are prioritised over adequate service provision[1] [2]. Additionally, the organisation has been involved in a number of serious health scandals, relating to cancer misdiagnoses [3] [4] The HSE has also been the subject of criticism for cutbacks, service cancellations and overall stinginess. The organisation was the subject of an Irish high court ruling in September 2008 stating it was in breach of contract over a reduction in payments made to pharmacists for dispensing drugs under various State schemes. If repayments are mandated, the HSE faces a bill of over €50 million [5]. In late September 2008, the HSE was also criticised for not anticipating costs and deteriorating economic circumstances, which it claims as the cause of the cancellation of a Flu vaccination scheme for people aged over 50, with the Irish Medical organisation accusing the HSE of "incompetence and acting irresponsibly"[6].
See also
External links
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