In November 2012, the Minister for Health published Future Health, the framework for health reform. This framework, based on\ud
Government commitments in its Programme for Government, outlines the main healthcare reforms that will be introduced in the coming\ud
years as key building blocks for the introduction of Universal Health Insurance in 2016. Future Health is about prioritising the needs of\ud
the patients and service users, even as difficult decisions on health financing are made, and the approach to reform is based on four\ud
pillars: Health and Wellbeing; Service Reform; Structural Reform and Financial Reform. Over the last number of years, HSE South has\ud
been implementing major re-organisation and change programmes across the region which are in line with this overall approach. The\ud
changes we have implemented to date are beginning to yield significant gains for HSE South in 2013. These dividends will assist us to\ud
do more with less this year as well as provide new services across the region, particularly in the area of acute hospitals, disability,\ud
palliative care and primary care. HSE South will continue to vigorously pursue its local change programme in line with national policy\ud
with further dividend expected by year end which will benefit patients and service users in this area.\ud
The reform process has led us to further develop close working relationships and partnerships with the voluntary sector. By building on\ud
this collaborative approach, our combined efforts have enabled us to progress and deliver on a number of key developments, particularly\ud
in the areas of palliative care and disability that otherwise may not have been achieved