Tuesday, 23 November 2004 . The Interim Health Service Executive, which takes over the running of Ireland ’s health service on a unified, national basis from 1 January 2005 ,  has today announced the appointments of its national directors.  They are: 
National Hospitals Office: Mr Pat McLoughlin
Pat  McLoughlin is currently Chief Executive Officer of the South Eastern  Health Board, providing leadership to over 9,000 staff in the provision of  services for 420,000 people.  The SEHB has developed some innovative approaches to A&E in its acute hospitals, such as St Luke’s in Kilkenny.
 Formerly Programme Manager for General Hospitals Services in the SEHB and CEO of the Eastern Health Board, Pat has a very broad range of senior management experience in Ireland ’s  health services. During the late 1990s he led a national programme which established 30 drug treatment clinics, supporting over 2,000 users.  
 In the National Hospitals Office, Pat will be responsible for resource allocation, service delivery and performance management of all 52 statutory and non-statutory acute hospitals in Ireland ,  through 10 initial hospital networks.   He will also be focused on integrating hospital services with primary care.

Primary, Community and Continuing Care: Mr Aidan Browne
Aidan  Browne is Assistant Chief Executive Officer at the North Eastern Health Board  (NEHB). He holds both Registered General and Psychiatric Nursing qualifications and was Director of Nursing at St. Felim’s Hospital in Cavan. Aidan holds an MBA in Health Services Management, and moved from direct clinical care into senior management in 1998, where he has held responsibility for Services for the Elderly and Community Services in the Cavan/Monaghan area. Since March 2004, Aidan has been a member of the iHSE’s Change Management Team, leading on the design and implementation plans for the Primary, Continuing and Community Care directorate.
 In the PCCC Directorate, Aidan will be responsible for primary care, community based health and personal social services including those for older persons, children, disability services, mental health services and general practice.  PCCC will have 32 Local Health Offices and seek greater involvement of service users, their families and communities in the planning and design of services in their area.

Population Health: Dr Patrick Doorley
Dr.  Patrick Doorley is Director of Public Health & Planning with the Midland Health Board. He worked in a number of Dublin hospitals in his early medical career and joined the Midland Health Board as Registrar in Community Medicine in 1984.   Dr Doorley is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine (RCPI); he lectures in Public Health at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland .  He was a member of the Steering Group for the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and of the Department of Health and Children group that worked “Toward a Tobacco Free Society” which led to the establishment of the Office of Tobacco Control and the work place ban on smoking.
 Pat will be responsible for the strategic planning for all aspects of the HSE to positively influence health, health service delivery and outcomes by  promoting and protecting the health of the entire population and target groups.  He will work closely with the Department of Health & Children, HIQA and other agencies.

Change  Management & Organisational Development: Ms Ann  Doherty
Ann Doherty is currently Acting General Manager at Cork University Hospital Group and Director of Strategy and Planning at the Southern Health Board. Her background is in general nursing and while she completed her nursing training in Cork ,  most of her clinical and senior healthcare management experience was gained in  the Kings Healthcare NHS Trust near London .  During her time in the UK Ann completed an MBA, and was Service Strategy Manager at the NHS Trust before returning to Ireland in 1997, when she took up the post of Director of Nursing at  Mount  Carmel Hospital in Cork .
In the HSE, Ann will be responsible for driving a strategic approach to managing change within the organization including direct support from her team to local change management projects.

Shared  Services: Ms Laverne McGuinness
Laverne McGuinness is an Assistant CEO at the Northern Area Health Board. Currently on secondment to the iHSE Change Management Team, she has been responsible for coordinating the development and vision of the iHSE Shared Service model.  With an earlier career in public service, Laverne has been working in the health service for the last nine years.  She is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants and holds an MSc in the Management and Application of Information Technology in Accounting.  Laverne will be responsible for delivering efficiencies and greater effectiveness in the administration of the health service through transforming processing activities in finance, procurement, ICT, human resources and the GMS. This will involve moving to five lead sites over time, these are Kilkenny, Manorhamilton, Swords,  Finglas and Dr. Steevens’ in Dublin .

Finance:  Mr Diarmuid Collins
Diarmuid Collins is Director of Finance at the Midland Health Board.  Currently on secondment to the iHSE Change Management Team, he has been responsible for leading the project on financial transition arrangements for the HSE.  An Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Diarmuid has over 25 years’ of professional finance experience in both the public and private sector.
 Diarmuid will be responsible for the management of the health system’s budget and cash management system from 1 January 2005and this involves moving from a number of different financial systems to an integrated model, which will occur over time. He will also provide strategic financial and management support to the Board and the National Directors.

Information & Communication Technology: Mr Sean Hurley  (acting)
Sean Hurley is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Health Board where he has led a staff of 13,000, serving a population of 580,000 in Cork and Kerry. He chairs the National Steering Group for the introduction of integrated financial systems across all health agencies, and for a national E-procurement strategy. Under his leadership the Southern Health Board was awarded an e-Government label and has been recognised internationally for its track record in innovation. Sean has an accounting background and prior to taking up his post as CEO at the Southern Health Board he held a number of senior management posts, including General Manager at Cork University Hospital Group. 
 Sean will be responsible for the delivery of value-adding ICT supports across the health service to facilitate greater integration and information to support service delivery.  He will work to define policies and standards at national level and supporting implementing at local level.

 Human Resources:  Not filled at  present
The position of National Director of Human Resource Management has not been filled as yet. The interviews have been completed, but discussions with candidates are still ongoing. 
 Pending a permanent filling of the job the iHSE is appointing Mr John Magner as acting Human Resource Director. 
 John is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer from the South Eastern Health Board, and is on secondment to the iHSE. He is currently leading the Human Resource Management team within the iHSE, and he will continue in that capacity pending a full time appointment.
 Most of the appointees will be able to take up their new roles immediately. All will be based at the HSE headquarters in Naas, Co Kildare.
 Acting CEO of the iHSE, Mr Kevin Kelly, said “I am delighted to announce these very important appointments and to congratulate the individuals concerned. The quality of applicants from within and without the existing heath boards was very high. I am very pleased that we have assembled a team that brings together a wide range of experience, some in the private sector but also with a great focus, knowledge and in-depth understanding of Ireland ’s  health service.”
“I look forward to bringing the new team of leaders for the health service together at the earliest possible opportunity.   The next step is for them to begin to shape and resource their directorates, in an agreed and consultative manner.”
 Other senior management team jobs, at corporate level, are currently being scoped and will be advertised in the New Year. However the iHSE will be announcing the appointment of an Acting Chief Medical Advisor next week. This person will play a key role in supporting the work of the CEO and the management. 

 The Board of iHSE decided on Saturday last that the post of Chief Executive Officer  would be re-advertised nationally and internationally in the New  Year.

 A  total of 200 applicants applied for National Director roles, 45% of those were  people already working in the Irish health service.