VA chief outlines restructuring plan in blog
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs outlined restructuring plans for the organization on Monday afternoon.
VA Secretary Robert McDonald revealed the plan on the VAntage Point website - a blog for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
McDonald told employees he plans to set up a new VA-wide customer service organization, led by a Chief Customer Service Officer who reports directly to the Secretary. Also included were plans to establish a single regional framework to simplify system navigation for veterans, as well as a national network of Community Veteran Advisory Councils.
You can read more details here: http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/16094/in-message-to-employees-sec-mcdonald-outlines-the-way-ahead-to-improve-va/
On Tuesday, McDonald said an intranet site will launch for VA employees to submit improvement suggestions. The "My VA Idea House" site launches Veteran's Day. Here's a link: vaideahouse.ideascale.com
McDonald talked about the plans during a 60 Minutes broadcast Sunday night. McDonald is expected to detail staff changes Monday afternoon.
McDonald said 35 personnel will be among the first firings, with the possibility of a thousand subsequent firings. McDonald also plans to hire 28,000 medical personnel nationwide. More than 2,000 of those positions will be dedicated to mental health care.
The restructuring comes nearly a year after the crisis, dubbed the VA Scandal, revealed appointment wait times for veterans sometimes exceeded three months in facilities across the country. In the worst-case scenarios, as first reported by CNN, veterans died waiting for care.
It's unclear what impact, if any, the restructuring could have on the Durham and Fayetteville VA hospital campuses. In a summer audit, both facilities' appointment wait times ranked among the highest in the nation.
The Fayetteville VA has since received funding and space to open clinics in Fayetteville and Jacksonville. The Fayetteville facility opened its doors last week. The move is aimed at alleviating the heavy client load from the main campus on Ramsey Street.
