Greater collaboration needed between HSE and Departments on health budgeting

A more “collaborative approach” was required between the HSE, Department of Health, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), heard an internal HSE meeting.

In March, the HSE audit and risk committee discussed recent meetings of the health budget oversight group (HBOG). The HSE, the Department of Health, and DPER are members of the HBOG.

According to meeting minutes, the committee “emphasised the need to ensure that an agreed reporting mechanism” between the HSE and the two Departments “is operating for 2023”.

The committee also outlined its “strong view that another reporting season without such an agreed and documented approach should not take place”.

A HSE spokesperson told the Medical Independent (MI) that an “agreed reporting mechanism” between the HSE and the two Departments is now in place and “continues to operate for 2023”.

“This reporting framework sets clear reporting timelines for each calendar month between the three organisations,” said the spokesperson. “This would also include a closer collaborative working arrangement between the HSE and Department of Health.”

The spokesperson added that following “detailed engagement” between the two Departments “revised reporting arrangements for HBOG have been implemented for 2023”.

The audit and risk committee minutes also noted that the HBOG’s meeting in February had been postponed. However, the HSE’s spokesperson told MI the scheduled HBOG meetings for the months of March, April, May, and June 2023 had proceeded as planned.