The HSE CEO has admitted to the Medical Independent (MI) that the Executive “underestimated… some of the change capacity requirements” for the new integrated financial management system (IFMS).
The system went ‘live’ in the first implementation group in July 2023. The group comprises HSE East; Shared Services; National Distribution Centre; Primary Care Reimbursement Service; National Ambulance Service; National and Corporate Services; and Tusla.
Problems paying suppliers through the IFMS were reported in the media late last year.
In December 2023, the HSE’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr Stephen Mulvany, told the audit and risk committee that a technical issue arose where two large payment files relating to the HSE and Tusla were inadvertently paid twice. “He advised that at the present time 99.9 per cent of the HSE duplicate payments and 99.8 per cent of the Tusla duplicate payment, have been recovered successfully,” according to the minutes.
The committee noted that a root cause analysis had been undertaken to ensure the error would not reoccur.
“When you introduce a system, like a SAP software system, or any type of system like that… the system has rules,” Mr Bernard Gloster told MI last month.
“So everyone has to practise the same. You cannot buy something without a purchase order, because if you do, the person who gives it to you isn’t going to get paid too quickly for it. So, there were system challenges. And we underestimated, I think, some of the change capacity requirements.”
However, Mr Gloster said the HSE has learned from the experience in terms of ongoing implementation.
The next two ‘go-lives’ for the system are due to occur in April and July 2025.
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