Saolta University Health Care Group
The Saolta University Health Care Group (Irish: Grúpa Cúram Sláinte Ollscoile Saolta) is one of the hospital groups established by the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland.
History
The grouping of hospitals was announced by the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly, T.D., in May 2013, as part of a restructure of Irish public hospitals and a goal of delivering better patient care.[1] The Group was given responsibility for the following hospitals:[1][2]
- University Hospital Galway
- Letterkenny University Hospital
- Mayo University Hospital
- Merlin Park University Hospital
- Portiuncula University Hospital
- Roscommon University Hospital
- Sligo University Hospital
In 2014, the Group, which had initially been known as the West / North West Hospitals Group, became Saolta University Health Care Group.[3]
In 2016 Bill Maher, Chief Executive of Saolta University Health Care Group, was the subject of an internal audit revealing potential conflict of interest at the time of his appointment leading to the award of contracts without tendering worth approximately €340,000 to Northgate, an organisation Maher held a consulting contract with at the same time.[4] At the time he was also in receipt of top-up payments from St. Vincent's Healthcare Group,[5] and an allowance for working in Galway.[6]
Services
The Group is headed by a Chief Executive, who is accountable to the National Director for Acute Services in the Health Service Executive,[7] and is responsibility for delivering inpatient care, emergency care, maternity services, outpatient care and diagnostic services at its designated hospitals.[7] The Group's academic partner is NUI Galway.[1]
References
- "Minister Announces Hospital Groups and Publishes The Framework for Smaller Hospitals". Department of Health. Department of Health (Ireland). 15 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- "Six hospital groups 'most fundamental reform in decades'". Irish Medical Times. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- "HSE changes Galway hospitals' identity for seventh time in eight years". Connacht Tribune. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
- Wall, Martin (19 July 2016). "'Potential conflict of interest existed' for ex-hospital chief". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- Cullen, Paul (17 August 2016). "Bosses at St Vincent's hospital paid 'once-off compensation'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- "Hospital chief gets extra €10k for weekly hotel stays". Independent.ie. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- Madden, Deirdre (2014). Medical Law in Ireland. Kluwer Law International. ISBN 978-9041153333.