PAC-ing a punch on HSE spending

Medical Independent column from 5 November 2015

Last month, HSE Director General Mr Tony O’Brien made his last appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as the person with ultimate accountability for the health budget. This is because responsibility for the health budget was transferred from the HSE back to the Department of Health on 1 January 2015.

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Why being €300m over budget out of a total of €13bn may actually be a success

Analysis from the Irish Independent from 13 June 2014 on a hot-headed John McGuinness, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) call for the resignation of the HSE director general, Tony O’Brien and Secretary General of the Department of Health, Ambrose McLoughlin, on the basis that they are not fit for purpose.

Consultant contract showdown

See below for Medical Independent column from 17 April 2014 on the ongoing dispute between St Vincent’s Hospital and the HSE over consultants’ work

Small victories in transparency

 The work of the Public Accounts Committee may finally lead to some proper oversight of how our health system operates. Here is my column  from Medical Independent from 6 February 2014. 

HSE and Dept of Health are ultimately responsible for unaccounted €2.35 million

So what has happened €2.35 million of public money that was channelled through the HSE to the siptu union. HSE chief Brendan Drumm says he has no idea, Siptu say they have never got that money. So what was this fund for, how was it spent and why on earth did no state agency take responsibility for the annual €250,000 fund over eight years? You can read what I think below or hear it here.