We've just launched our Corporate Plan for 2025 to 2027. It sets out our priorities for change in the health and social care system over the next 3 years.
Read the HSE Corporate Plan 2025 to 2027 (Irish language version)
Read the HSE Corporate Plan 2025 to 2027 (English language version)
Introducing the plan, CEO Bernard Gloster highlights our commitment to improving our services for the people who need them:
“Every step we take together towards achieving our commitments in this Corporate Plan - every new service, every partnership, every innovative solution - is a step towards transforming how health and social care services are experienced by patients/service users in the years to come.”
The main priorities of the Corporate Plan are:
- partnership-driven, person-centered service delivery
- improving access to health and social care while focusing on early intervention
- strengthening the foundations of our health system, including multidisciplinary teamwork and digital health
The introduction of 6 health regions under Sláintecare will help us transform our services and make sure everyone can access them when they need them.
Healthy communities
Life expectancy in Ireland has risen, but there are still health inequalities across the population. Those in disadvantaged areas live, on average, 5 years less than others. In addition, we also need to address risk factors that lead to preventable diseases like diabetes.
Our plan will:
- deliver screening programmes for colorectal, breast and cervical cancer, as well as diabetic retinopathy
- improve the immunisation programme, including flu, COVID-19 and childhood vaccines
- implement the Women’s Health Action Plan, aiming to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040
- enhance oral health initiatives, improving emergency and routine dental care access
- address wider health considerations, such as child poverty and social support gaps
- promote healthy ageing through local authority age-friendly programmes
- strengthen health equity initiatives for underserved groups
- deliver primary prevention strategies under the Healthy Ireland Plan to reduce obesity, smoking and harmful alcohol use
- develop a new National Suicide Prevention Strategy
The results we aim to achieve include:
- increased screening participation
- improved vaccine uptake
- more people engaging in healthier lifestyles
Right care
We will make sure that people receive the right care, safely and efficiently. Studies show that up to 30% of health and social care services could be delivered in a better way.
To improve care, we will:
- carry out evidence-based clinical pathways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness
- increase productivity in acute outpatient services and reduce unnecessary diagnostic tests
- extend operating hours to provide more weekend and evening services
- strengthen safeguarding measures for vulnerable people
- develop and implement the HSE Strategy for Laboratory Services 2025-2029
- set up Patient and Service User Partnership Councils in every region
- increase engagement with voluntary organisations for better service planning consultation
The results we aim to achieve include:
- improved patient safety and experience
- reduced unplanned hospital re-admissions
- higher satisfaction in national care experience surveys
Right place
Making sure people receive care in the right setting will help reduce hospital overcrowding and unnecessary emergency department visits. At the moment, up to 30% of emergency visits could be managed elsewhere.
We aim to deliver care in the right place by:
- reforming home support models with improved digital systems and 7-day rostering.
- developing regional paediatric palliative care networks and specialist teams at the new Children’s Hospital
- strengthening Enhanced Community Care, supporting those living with disability, older adults and those living with chronic diseases
- expanding National Ambulance Service alternative care pathways, such as Community Paramedicine
- increasing hospital and community bed capacity
- carrying out a health service capacity review to make sure future infrastructure meets growing demand
The results we aim to achieve include:
- reduced avoidable hospital visits
- operational surgical hubs
- increased bed availability
Right time
Reducing waiting times for health and social care services is a key priority.
In 2024 alone, emergency department visits increased by 8% from the previous year. Nearly 90,000 people, including children, have waited over a year for outpatient appointments.
To improve timely access to care, we will:
- expand disability services for children and adults
- improve early intervention services and reduce waiting times for disability assessments
- strengthen access to standardised mental health services
- better integrate Traveller health units and primary healthcare with wider HSE services
- improve tailored healthcare for refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants
- expand GP capacity by increasing training places and streamlining recruitment
- strengthen hospital capacity through the Public Only Consultant Contract, ensuring more appointments for public patients
- reduce emergency department wait times, with a focus on those at highest risk through services closer to home (such as virtual care)
- prioritise long-term cases and improve referral pathways as part of plans to reduce waiting times
- reduce wait times for primary care therapies through better referral and discharge management
We aim to achieve improved access to disability and mental health services and reduced waiting times in key areas.
Strong foundations
To sustain long-term improvements, we need to invest in our workforce, governance and digital infrastructure.
We will strengthen our foundations by:
- carrying out a People Strategy (2025-2027) to improve staff training, wellbeing and retention
- expanding multidisciplinary leadership and professional development programmes
- collaborating with government departments, educational and regulatory bodies to ensure the appropriate level and mix of health and social care staff
- strengthening governance through the HSE Performance and Accountability Framework
- improving decision-making with real-time health data and improved performance tracking
- rolling out digital tools to modernise healthcare, including Electronic Health Records across acute and community services and a mobile app for patient self-management
We hope to acheive:
- improved engagement and results in the staff survey
- reduced staff absence and turnover
- better cyber security and digital health ratings within the EU
Carrying out our Corporate Plan
The HSE Corporate Plan 2025–2027 sets out a clear path to improve person-centered care, access, patient experience and health outcomes across our health and social care services. While this plan covers a 3-year period, our goal is to create long-lasting change that benefits future generations.
The plan will be carried out through:
- annual national service plans
- funding from our budgetary cycles
- regional operational plans
- ongoing monitoring and assessment
By working together, we can create a stronger, fairer, more innovative and more efficient healthcare system for everyone.