A new unified clinical and management model announced yesterday for the acute healthcare system in the Midwest has been described as “very expensive”.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) announced the appointment of five clinical directors that will oversee a new unified management system to serve the acute healthcare needs of the 387,000 people in the Midwest.
The HSE described the new management system as “a major step forward towards the provision of integrated acute hospital healthcare”.
The appointments come with an additional annual cost of €230,000 as consultants are entitled to an additional €46,000 per annum in accordance with the 2008 consultants’ contract when they are appointed Clinical Directors.
The HSE yesterday confirmed the appointment of the five along with the appointment of four new directorate managers.
The executive confirmed that the lead clinical director is Prof Pierce Grace, a Kilkenny-born vascular surgeon.
The four clinical directors who will oversee new directorates in peri–operative, medicine, diagnostics and maternal and child health.
According to the HSE, the new system involves clinicians at the highest level of decision making and the change aims at eliminating traditional divides between doctors and managers.
Prof Grace said: “There are many hurdles to be overcome, but together we can develop and provide a world class state of the art hospital service for our patients.”
Asst General Secretary with Impact, Andy Pike yesterday said the union has adopted a wait and see approach on the new model.
However, Mr Pike described the new model as “very expensive”.
He said that “it is a source of frustration” amongst IMPACT members that while the consultants will receive €46,000 additionally per annum, the newly appointed directorate managers will not receive any additional pay even though they are taking on new responsibilities.
