Book review: The Challenge of change: putting patients before providers

Abstract

THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE: PUTTING PATIENTS BEFORE PROVIDERS BRENDAN DRUMM Orpen Press, 2011 PB, 280pp, £15.00, 9781871305265 The Challenge of Change provides interesting reading. As Chief Executive Officer of Ireland's Health Services Executive, Professor Brendan Drumm had 5 years to attempt much needed reform. The stage set is Ireland but the script is worldwide. He provides a rare insight into the machinations of health services delivery often threading a fine balancing act between political masters, the aspirations of a general public with parochial interests, and an unyielding bureaucracy long accustomed to doing things its own way. Drumm sought to merge ‘hospital and community services into one operational structure with a single management system.’ He saw the exclusion of clinicians from central managerial …