Government Ministers will be asked to approve the creation of regional health areas this morning in a major reform for the health service.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will bring a memo to Cabinet this morning saying the new regional healthcare model will be phased in from the start of next year, being fully operational by 2024.
The aim is to provide care at a regional level with all needed services able to communicate better with each other based on geography rather than the current structure.
Decision making will be devolved to the regions which must generally follow national policy.
Minister Donnelly is expected to tell his colleagues the six regional areas will be supported by a lean HSE centre with less management and bureaucracy.
