Health Service Executive (HSE)

Background

The Reform Programme is focused on improving patient care, providing better value for money and improving health care management. Key programme elements include:

  • Rationalising health service agencies to reduce fragmentation, including abolition of health board/authority structures
  • Establishing a Health Service Executive (HSE) as a single national entity to manage the health services

The Health Act 2004 provided a legal framework for the establishment of the Health Service Executive on a statutory basis. With effect from 1 January 2005, the HSE took over responsibility for the management and delivery of health services from the Eastern Regional Health Authority, the health boards and a number of other agencies.

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Role of the HSE

The Health Service Executive is the first ever body charged with managing the operation of the health service as a unified system bringing together the roles of many agencies that previously operated as separate entities.

As per the Health Act 2004, the objective of the Executive is:

“to use the resources available to it in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.”

To find out more, visit the Health Service Executive website.

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