New areas launched in latest healthcare redrawing

A major redrawing of the health service is underway.

Six new public health areas have been launched as part of the implementation of parts of the Sláintecare report.

The move paves the way for the introduction of the new Regional Health Areas which are to come into place next year.

Cavan is included in the new "Area A", which also includes Monaghan, Meath, Louth and north Dublin.

This also marks the appointment of five Area Directors of Public Health at medical consultant grade, with the sixth expected to take their place in the coming weeks.

The HSE has described the change as "a significant milestone in the history of the Public Health Medicine service in Ireland".

It "marks an important turning point in the implementation of the fundamental reforms required to realise the vision of the new service delivery model", it said in a statement.

The Public Health Areas will further be divided into 96 Community Healthcare Networks which are expected to have an average population of 50,000.

Deirdre McNamara, Programme Director for Public Health Reform said: “The establishment of the Public Health Areas and Area leadership structure is the first critical step on the journey to transforming our Public Health medicine service to deliver better health and health services for our population. Our Public Health Teams have been at the forefront of pandemic response over the past few years and now they will be paving the way for the establishment of the Regional Health Areas and ensuring a strong focus on population health and prevention”.

Chief Clinical Officer, HSE, Dr Colm Henry said: “I wish our new Area Directors of Public Health every success in their new roles. I look forward to working them all to shape the future of our Public Health Areas over the months ahead to ensure a cohesive approach to service delivery across all Public Health Areas. Together we can build an agile, intelligence-led public health medicine service to protect and promote health, improve health services and tackle inequalities in health.”