The actual delivery of acute hospital services throughout the country is managed through eight hospital networks, each with an Assistant Director/Hospitals Network Manager who reports directly to the Director of the NHO and liaises with colleagues in other Directorates of the Corporate Management Team.
 
Under the Assistant National Director of Contacts and Utilisation, the NHO enters into an annual service provision arrangement with each of the eight hospital networks.  The fulfilment of the Annual Service Plan for the NHO is conducted within a comprehensive performance framework for the network involving various aspects of activity cost, volume and quality - for each of the hospitals within the network.  Relationships between the national office and hospital networks are maintained through ongoing engagement e.g. planning forums on general and specific issues in relation to acute hospital services.

The Network Managers carry full accountability for the acute hospital services within the network - they are responsible for the fulfillment of the service plan provided within his/her network and are accountable for overall management of all resources including, human, capital, financial, etc. Network managers enter into service level agreements with the National Hospitals Office which specify the cost, volume and quality of services to be delivered within any given year. Networks can include voluntary hospitals and statutory hospitals and the network manager may enter into agreements with private hospitals and hospitals in other jurisdictions as appropriate.

The Network Manager also plays a key role in ensuring effective relationships with all hospitals within the network and with the appropriate elements of the PCCC service provision.  

The annual work of the National Hospitals Office is outlined in the HSE Annual Service Plan

Click here for HSE Publications on Hospitals

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Ambulance Service

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