Brennan Report - Department of Health and Children
Brennan Report - Department of Health and Children
Brennan Report - Department of Health and Children
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<strong>Report</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Commission on Financial Management <strong>and</strong> Control Systems in the <strong>Health</strong> ServiceRecommendations on the Role <strong>of</strong> the Executive Board, Chairman <strong>and</strong> CEOR3.9 The Executive board should be statutorily responsible for the execution <strong>of</strong> national health policy <strong>and</strong> shouldbe formally accountable for its performance to the Minister for <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Children</strong>.R3.10 The Executive board at R3.9 above should assume the functions associated with the management <strong>of</strong> the healthservice. These would be similar to the normal functions exercised by any corporate board <strong>and</strong> would include:(i) Implementing the overall strategic direction <strong>of</strong> national health policy for the health service;(ii) Approval <strong>of</strong> the annual regional Service Plans;(iii) Monitoring performance against objectives <strong>and</strong> ensuring that corrective action is taken whennecessary;(iv) Ensuring that services are delivered within budget/determination;(v) Appointment <strong>of</strong> the chief executive <strong>of</strong>ficer (CEO) <strong>of</strong> the Executive;(vi) Establishment <strong>of</strong> an audit committee; <strong>and</strong>(vii) Approval <strong>of</strong> the Annual <strong>Report</strong> <strong>and</strong> Financial Statements.R3.11 The board <strong>of</strong> the Executive should be accountable to the Minister for <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Children</strong>.R3.12 The CEO <strong>of</strong> the Executive should be accountable to the board <strong>of</strong> the Executive.R3.13 The CEO <strong>of</strong> the Executive should be an accounting <strong>of</strong>ficer.R3.14 The CEO <strong>of</strong> the Executive should be responsible for the provision <strong>of</strong> financial <strong>and</strong> other information necessaryto support the Secretary General <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Children</strong> in his/her role as accounting<strong>of</strong>ficer <strong>and</strong> policy advisor to the Government.Membership <strong>of</strong> the Executive BoardAs the board <strong>of</strong> the Executive will have ultimate responsibility for implementation <strong>of</strong> healthpolicy <strong>and</strong> driving reform within the health service, it is critically important that members be<strong>of</strong> a high calibre <strong>and</strong> bring an appropriate mix <strong>of</strong> experience <strong>and</strong> expertise, both from within<strong>and</strong> without the health sector, whether from Irel<strong>and</strong> or abroad.Recommendations on Membership <strong>of</strong> the Executive BoardR3.15 The Executive board should have not more than 12 members made up as follows:(i) An independent Chairman drawn from outside the health sector;(ii) Ex-<strong>of</strong>ficio, the CEO <strong>of</strong> the Executive;(iii) Ex-<strong>of</strong>ficio, the Director <strong>of</strong> Finance <strong>of</strong> the Executive;(iv) A nominee <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Children</strong>; <strong>and</strong>(v) Not more than 8 non-executive members, reflecting the balance <strong>of</strong> expertise required, appointed by theMinister for <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Children</strong>.R3.16 In appointing the non-executive members at R3.15(v) above, the Minister should have regard to theappropriateness <strong>of</strong> each c<strong>and</strong>idate’s skills <strong>and</strong> experience.Regional <strong>Health</strong> BoardsWe considered the issue <strong>of</strong> whether regional health boards should remain a feature <strong>of</strong> thehealth service.There was a consensus that regional health boards currently deliver advantagesin terms <strong>of</strong> local democratic representation within the health service.We were concerned thatproposals to replace the regional health board structure might compromise accountability forthe health service <strong>and</strong> the important corporate governance roles being carried out. However,50
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