HSE appoints Tony Canavan Regional Executive Officer for the North West division

The HSE Chief Executive Officer has announced Tony Canavan as Regional Executive Officer for the North West division.

He is one of the new Regional Executive Officers (REO) appointments for the six new HSE Health Regions. 

Canavan is the CEO of the Saolta University Health Care Group. He has worked in the health services in the West for over 30 years. Over that time he has held several appointments with the Western Health Board in Mental Health Services, the Department of Public Health, Primary Care Services and Acute Hospital Services.

In 2012, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the first Hospital Group in the country, known then as the Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group, which subsequently became the Saolta Group and was extended to include Letterkenny and Sligo. 

In 2015, he became Chief Officer of Community Healthcare West, before returning to the Saolta Group four years later as CEO. Tony will take up his role as Regional Executive Officer, HSE West and North West on March 1, 2024.     

As part of implementing Sláintecare, the HSE is organising service delivery into six health regions from March 1, 2024.  

Following a Public Appointments Service-led process, the HSE CEO is appointed as REO for the HSE West and North West divisions. HSE West and North West will serve the people of Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, West Cavan, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. The role of an REO is to lead and deliver health and social care in their areas.

Other appointments include Sara Long as REO, HSE Dublin and North East; Martina Queally as REO, HSE Dublin and South East; Kate Killeen White as REO, HSE Dublin and Midlands: Dr Andy Phillips as REO, HSE South West; and Sandra Broderick is in post as REO, HSE Mid West.

Each REO will be the accountable officer at the Health Region level, responsible for the delivery of high-quality, safe, and accessible services for the population of their region. REOs will report directly to the HSE CEO on the operation and management of the Health Regions. They will form part of the core HSE Senior Leadership Team, providing regional input into the development of national policies and standards.

“The move to the new regions, and a reformed and repurposed HSE Centre, represents a considerable change to our organisational structures,”  HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said.

“I am confident we have assembled a strong team of the six most senior officials in the HSE, reporting directly to me.  Individually and collectively, they bring a broad range of skills and experience, placing them as the healthcare experts who will lead the next phase of health service delivery in Ireland.  I look forward to working with them.  

“Shortly we will announce the details of the new re-organised HSE Centre, designed to support these regional leaders and ensure excellence in our public services.

“I want to emphasise that structural change is not the main goal of this reform. The idea behind reorganising our structures is to ensure that people experience just one health service, providing whatever care they need at the right time and in the right place. When we talk about ‘integrated care’, this is what we mean.

“I’d like to thank HSE staff around the country for their support and hard work as we transition this year. I look forward to working with each of the new REOs, and the teams they will form over the coming months, to provide a better health service for everyone living in Ireland.”

"I’m delighted to welcome the six new Regional Executive Officer appointees who will work with the CEO and myself to ensure that this reorganisation of our health and social care services delivers for patients,”  Stephen Donnelly, TD, Minister for Health said.  

The HSE Health Regions Implementation Plan has been developed in partnership with health and social care stakeholders and aims to deliver more joined-up care to people when they need it.”