Reconfiguration in the Health Service Executive

1. Reconfiguration in the Health Service Executive Brian Gilroy National Director Commercial & Support Services, Reconfiguration & Ambulance Services

2. Reconfiguration Governance arrangements Consistency in approach is required to ensure that the reconfiguration programmes deliver on a national basis. Appropriate governance arrangements will: • Outline the relationships between all internal & external groups involved in the project • Describe the proper flow of information regarding the project to all stakeholders • Ensure the appropriate review of issues encountered with each project • Ensure that required approvals and direction is obtained at each appropriate stage of the project

3. Reconfiguration protocol • A reconfiguration protocol is being finalised setting out the arrangements for regional reconfiguration planning, approval, implementation and monitoring of progress. • The protocol will be used to ensure that proposals brought forward from the regional reconfiguration exercises, and endorsed at RDO level, are submitted for approval to the National Director ISD Reconfiguration. • All such proposals will be subject to review & Approval by the National Director QCC to ensure that they align with the emerging work from the QCC clinical care programmes.

4. Approval of Reconfiguration Plans • Sign off will also incorporate clinical assessment of alignment of plans with findings /recommendations from HSE commissioned national and regional reviews and ensure that there is consistency where appropriate across local implementation actions. • Governance is required for each phase of the reconfiguration project and for the movement from one phase to the next. • In order to move from one phase to the next, evaluation and sign off of the key milestones must take place through agreed management & decision making processes

5. Action Plans • Regional reconfiguration actions to take place in 2010 will be to be set out in detailed action plans. • These RDO action plans will be agreed with the National Director ISD Reconfiguration and with the National Director of QCC. • The action plans will form part of each Region’s Performance Contract and will be monitored through regional and national performance review processes.

6. Project Management Approach • A standard approach for the management of projects within the Reconfiguration Programme will be adopted. • The underlying principle, in line with best practice for the management of projects, is that all projects will be managed on a four stage basis – Initiation, Planning, Implementation and Closeout - with checkpoints, agreed in advance, in place at the end of each stage. • Key project management deliverables will be produced at the end of each stage. • A standard project management pack with information and generic templates for use in the management of the projects has been issued by the National Programme Management Office (NPMO) to each region. • Training programmes will be arranged for staff in the regions responsible for managing these projects