Brennan Report - Department of Health and Children

Report of the Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Servicefor a multi-annual programme of infrastructure development in the health service covering theperiod 2000 to 2006. The Health Capital Programme falls within the Economic and SocialInfrastructure Operational Programme. Funding on a global rather than project-specific basisfor each year of the Plan was indicated at the outset and this indicative funding forms the basisfor discussion with the Department of Finance for the annual Estimates, together with issuessuch as inflation, essential projects, and other estimates adjustments.At the outset, in 1999, each health board was, for planning purposes only, provided by theDepartment of Health and Children with details of indicative allocations analysed by care group(i.e. acute hospitals, disability services, services for older people, mental health, communityhealth and childcare). The indicative allocations for individual health boards were determined inline with the regional criteria set for the overall National Development Plan and by referenceto the overall indicative funding level.For multi-annual planning purposes, health boards were requested to draw up capitalexpenditure plans for the period 2000 to 2006, for submission to the Department of Health andChildren, in line with their indicative allocations and taking account of all contractualcommitments being carried forward from projects commenced prior to the NationalDevelopment Plan. The purpose of these capital expenditure plans was to identify, in broadterms, how each health board foresaw the development of health infrastructure within its areaand within each care group over the life of the National Development Plan, working within theannual funding limits available. Each health board’s capital expenditure plan is subject tocontinuous review by the health board’s chief executive officer and National Development Planmanager to reflect inflation, changes in funding, service delivery, etc. The Hospital PlanningOffice is responsible for managing the Health Capital Programme under the NationalDevelopment Plan in association with the appropriate line division within the Department ofHealth and Children.Project Approval Process: Notwithstanding the indicative allocations flowing from theNational Development Plan, each capital project requires specific approval from theDepartment of Health and Children. All capital projects costing in excess of ¤ 6.3 millionrequire approval from the Department of Health and Children at up to 17 separate stages aswell as approval from the Department of Finance at both design and tender stages. Minorcapital works (i.e. those costing less than ¤ 6.3 million) and equipment procurement also requirethe specific approval of the Department of Health and Children (see below).172