Reilly announces major reorganisation of acute hospitals

Minister for Health James Reilly has announced the re-organisation of Irish hospitals into six largely autonomous groups aimed at providing improved outcomes for patients.

Dr Reilly described his proposals as “the most fundamental reform of the Irish acute hospital system in decades” and promised that they would be implemented immediately.

The six groups will be located in the Dublin North East, Dublin Midlands, Dublin East, South/South West, West/North West and Midwest regions.

Each group will comprise between six and 11 hospitals and will include at least one major teaching hospital and an academic partner.

Work on the rollout of the Minister’s plans will be overseen by a national strategic advisory group and driven by the HSE, with chief executive to be appointed to each group as soon as possible.

Each group will be required to develop a strategic plan for the services they will offer within the first year of operation. The plan is to convert them into independent hospital trusts in 2015, but this will require legislation first.

Speaking at the launch of the groups this afternoon in Croke Park, Dr Reilly said: “The establishment of hospital groups signals a fundamental modernisation of our health system organisation in line with best international practice. The new hospital groups, each with their own governance and management, have been designed so as to provide the optimal configuration for hospitals to deliver high-quality, safe patient care which is cost effective and guarantees better outcomes for patients.”

The membership of the hospital groups is as follows:

Dublin North East: Beaumont Hospital; Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; Connolly Hospital; Cavan General Hospital; Rotunda Hospital; Louth County Hospital; Monaghan Hospital. (Academic Partner: RCSI).

Dublin Midlands: St James's Hospital; The Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin, including the National Children's Hospital; Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore; Naas General Hospital; Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise; the Coombe Women & Infant University Hospital. (Academic Partner: TCD).

Dublin East: Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; St Vincent's University Hospital; Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar; St Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny; Wexford General Hospital; National Maternity Hospital; Our Lady's Hospital, Navan; St Columcille's Hospital; St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire; Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital; Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. (Academic Partner: UCD).

South/South West: Cork University Hospital/CUMH; Waterford Regional Hospital; Kerry General Hospital; Mercy University Hospital; South Tipperary General Hospital; South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital; Bantry General Hospital; Mallow General Hospital, Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilcreene. (Academic Partner: UCC).

West/North West: University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital; Sligo Regional Hospital; Letterkenny General Hospital; Mayo General Hospital; Portiuncula Hospital; Roscommon County Hospital. (Academic Partner: NUIG).

Midwest: Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick; Ennis General Hospital; Nenagh General Hospital; St John's Hospital Limerick; Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital; Mid- Western Regional Orthopaedic. (Academic Partner: UL).