HSE CEO satisfied with voluntary hospitals’ response to transparency requirements

The HSE CEO has said he is “much more satisfied” with the response from voluntary hospitals over the publication of performance data following recent engagement.

In February, the Medical Independent (MI) reported that the Minister for Health suggested to the HSE board that funding restrictions could be applied to hospitals that fail to be “fully” transparent or engaged in system improvement.

When the Minister’s letter was sent in October 2023, a small number of voluntary hospitals had not yet signed up to the Health Performance Visualisation Platform (HPVP).

The HPVP aims to help improve efficiency and productivity in the health service.

Speaking to MI at the IMO AGM in Killarney, Co Kerry, earlier this month, Mr Bernard Gloster said all relevant voluntary hospitals have recently confirmed their commitment to participate with the HPVP.

“We will have good agreement this year, with hospitals, be they HSE hospitals, or HSE-funded hospitals, on what we are doing about transparency in terms of publishing productivity data.”

Mr Gloster added that while there might be a perception that productivity is a “dirty word” in healthcare, it is an important issue given the significant amount of public funding the health service receives.

He said he hoped it would not be necessary to impose sanctions on hospitals for not complying with transparency requirements, but stated such measures should be open to the HSE.

“It’s not a question of having a big stick to beat somebody with,” Mr Gloster said.

“But… when the public pay for healthcare through the HSE, and that includes voluntary hospitals, those voluntary hospitals are required to comply with what the funder on behalf of the Irish people desires to do. And one part of that is the transparency and publication of the information that everybody needs to see how our health service is working.”