New boss at the Department of Health (and general DoH/HSE thread)

**Dr. FIVE** · 18-04-2012, 12:11 AM

Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, the chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the pharmacy regulator has been appointed Secretary General at the Department of Health.
Collins reports there was considerable surprise among senior officials in the Department of Health that an outsider had been appointed to the post for which there were a number of internal applicants.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...314877092.html

Reilly welcoming the announcement said

In the last year as Minister I have had the privilege of getting to know closely the very hard working, committed individuals at the top of the civil service. I know they, like me, will welcome an injection of new blood, fresh thinking and new energy from outside as we move to introduce reforms and tackle the many problems faced in the area of health.

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...alth_appointed

A dentist by profession Dr McLoughlin has more than 30 years experience in the Irish health service and as CEO of the PSI a role that he has held since 2004 was at the forefront of the implementation of the new 2007 Pharmacy Act. He has also worked as CEO and Deputy CEO of the former North Eastern Health Board (

So that's the HSE board cleaned out and a new DG since Reilly took over.
With this in mind it's worth revisiting this investigation from Priscilla Lynch on the interesting power struggle within the health service and the department

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...ling_the_shots

**disability student** · 18-04-2012, 03:41 PM

It's unhealthy to see a growing development of relationship between Pharma industry and Dept of Health. In recent weeks re debate on mental health, pharma industries came out bloodied with stories of medications causing people/s to commit suicides etc. Such total reliance on the Pharma industries doesn't bode well given the fact it's a strong industry presence in Cork.

Although there are good and bad sides coming from the Pharma industry.

**Dr. FIVE** · 18-04-2012, 04:01 PM

O'Reilly has often been called more of a businessman then a doctor...

**Dr. FIVE** · 19-06-2012, 01:35 PM

Department have met with the Troika four times

http://www.medicalindependent.ie/pag..._after_bailout

According to the Department of Health, the members of the Troika mainly discussed the finances of acute hospitals and the primary care reimbursement service.

To the Department said the first meeting took place on 23 November 2010, just days after the bailout was accepted. The next meeting took place on 7 May 2011. The third meeting happened on the 6 July 2011. The final known meeting happened on 11 October 2011.

**Slim Buddha** · 19-06-2012, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. FIVE

O'Reilly has often been called more of a businessman then a doctor...

I am sure he is getting used to being called much worse than either of those.

**C. Flower** · 19-06-2012, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. FIVE

Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, the chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the pharmacy regulator has been appointed Secretary General at the Department of Health.
Collins reports there was considerable surprise among senior officials in the Department of Health that an outsider had been appointed to the post for which there were a number of internal applicants.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...314877092.html

Reilly welcoming the announcement said

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...alth_appointed

So that's the HSE board cleaned out and a new DG since Reilly took over.
With this in mind it's worth revisiting this investigation from Priscilla Lynch on the interesting power struggle within the health service and the department

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...ling_the_shots

There's very little discussion of FG's plans for health.

Does it centre on "Trusts" administering largely outsourced i.e. privatised services ?

the planned establishment of not-for-profit trusts for all HSE acute hospitals

**Dr. FIVE** · 18-07-2012, 11:17 AM

Cathal McGee gone

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking11.html

Reilly say he will be appointing another Sec Gen having only appointed a new one three months ago?

**PaddyJoe** · 18-07-2012, 12:08 PM

Cathal McGee live with SOR on News at One now.

**C. Flower** · 18-07-2012, 12:23 PM

Micheal Martin "We have a volatile health minister." Is that shorthand for something else ?

**Dr. FIVE** · 18-07-2012, 12:49 PM

Not getting on with officials already in place I think. This could be a good or bad thing, I have little faith in any of them tbh.

Worth revisiting that Priscilla Lynch piece I post in the op if you haven't. Seems it's contents are coming to a head this.

**Baron von Biffo** · 18-07-2012, 05:29 PM

Martin on SixOne now being ~~grilled~~ gently warmed by Sharo'

**Dr. FIVE** · 18-07-2012, 05:47 PM

Two weeks running Martin has had the opportunity to skin Reilly and the Government and has pulled back.

They are about as a effective in opposition as they were running the country

**C. Flower** · 18-07-2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Baron von Biffo

Martin on SixOne now being ~~grilled~~ gently warmed by Sharo'

Another exponent of the PR (Press Release/Public Relations) school of journalism.

**C. Flower** · 18-07-2012, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. FIVE

Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, the chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the pharmacy regulator has been appointed Secretary General at the Department of Health.
Collins reports there was considerable surprise among senior officials in the Department of Health that an outsider had been appointed to the post for which there were a number of internal applicants.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...314877092.html

Reilly welcoming the announcement said

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...alth_appointed

So that's the HSE board cleaned out and a new DG since Reilly took over.
With this in mind it's worth revisiting this investigation from Priscilla Lynch on the interesting power struggle within the health service and the department

http://medicalindependent.ie/page.as...ling_the_shots

Wow. That is a report and a half. It systematically describes a massive quango-whipping exercise by Reilly and rightly points to the centralisation of decision-making in the hands of the Minister and his advisers.

In the normal run of things, I would argue in favour of bringing the HSE / Health Services back under public /political control, but given the Minister's zeal for the private sector I am quite sure that all his strategies when examined closely are aimed at parcelling off profit making opportunities to the private sector.

**DCon** · 19-07-2012, 04:18 AM

It pays to be a FOJR (friend of James Reilly)

HEALTH Minister James Reilly is expected to appoint one of his key executives to the new post of director general in the Health Service Executive (HSE), it was learned yesterday.

Tony O'Brien, who is currently head of the Special Delivery Unit in the Department of Health, and a close confidante of the minister, is the favourite for the post.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...m-3173506.html