Sláintecare Action Plan For 2019 Published

Minister for Health Simon Harris has published the Sláintecare Action Plan for 2019 which outlines the project management structures and governance approach for the 10-year implementation of Sláintecare- a strategy aimed at reducing waiting lists and improving Ireland's healthcare system.

Developed by the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office, the action plan is a fundamental enabler in the delivery of the Sláintecare vision for reformed health and social care services in Ireland.

Minister Harris said: "Sláintecare will deliver a health and social care service that meets the needs of our population and attracts and retains the very best healthcare professionals, managers and staff. Our core objective is to shift the majority of care from the acute to the community setting to bring care closer to home for service users.

"This will help us reduce waiting lists and waiting times and ultimately meet our goal of improving population health. Over a ten-year period, Sláintecare will deliver a service that offers the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

"To implement this ambitious reform programme, it is essential that we establish a clear, accountable and structured annual plan for delivery, and the 2019 Action Plan that I am publishing today is just that. It is a detailed and comprehensive plan for 2019 which firmly establishes a programmatic approach to the delivery of the Sláintecare Strategy."

Earlier this year, the Department of Health announced the appointment of eight new members of the HSE Board, one of the key recommendations of the strategy. "Enhancing governance and accountability in the health and social care service is integral to Sláintecare reform and the new HSE Board will work with the HSE to implement Sláintecare," Mr Harris added.

Executive Director of the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office, Laura Magahy said: "The 2019 Action Plan uses a Citizen Care Masterplan Framework to underpin the project delivery of the very ambitious Sláintecare Strategy. It is essential that all parts of the health and social care system are involved in Sláintecare as these actions will be delivered through and with these partners.

"2019 will see us putting in place some essential building blocks to ensure that by the end of the reform programme, the right care is being delivered in the right place, at the right time."

Anne O'Connor, Interim Director General of the HSE, commented: "This Plan sets out the key activities that will guide the reform of the health services in 2019 and beyond. The HSE looks forward to working in partnership with our stakeholders in order to deliver on these important actions."

The publication of the Action Plan follows the second meeting of the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council (SIAC), chaired by Dr Tom Keane, which met on Wednesday 27 February.



(JG/CM)