Health service bosses seeking to cut North East spending
Health service bosses are examining ways to cut spending in the North East of the country by up to €10m in a bid to come in under budget for the year, it emerged today.
It is believed the cutback attempts could affect services at acute hospitals in the region.
A spokeswoman for the Health Services Executive (HSE) said: “Management at the hospitals in the North East are currently examining options to assist in meeting their requirement to operate within the approved funding allocation in the current year.”
She added: “This examination is being carried out in conjunction with the HSE North East Hospitals Network and includes a review of historic cost and funding levels at the hospitals.”
Tony Fitzpatrick, industrial relations officer with the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO), said it appeared the health services had overspent in the region during the first quarter of the year.
“It would appear from the documentation we have seen that the HSE North East are proposing remedial action. We would view it not just as remedial action but as an attempt to cut back services within the HSE North East,” he said.
“And it appears from the documentation we have viewed that there is an plan to implement savings of €9.7m over the seven months in order to bring spending back in line with the allocation of funding to the HSE North East.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said this could mean the HSE placing a freeze on the filling of jobs that become vacant, and a reduction in the use of agency staff within the service.
“Now the concern for us is that already within the HSE North East there is severe workload issues for nursing staff and other grades of staff within that area,” he said.
“If you further compound that by not filling posts that become vacant that will have an effect upon patient care and the delivery of services within the North East.”
But the HSE spokeswoman said: “The clear focus of the reviews underway is to identify options that can assist with achieving financial break-even without impacting on existing services.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said possible remedial actions to ensure the health services operate within the approved funding allocation had been outlined in an internal report.
One of the possibilities outlined for Cavan General Hospital includes reductions in the service given by the dialysis unit.
“And I quote them by saying waiting lists for the renal dialysis service in the North East will increase and patients may have to travel outside of the region and they also indicate that this may happen with oncology services within Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda as well,” he told RTE Radio.
“It is extremely worrying as their own report says patient safety could be compromised.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said nurses were concerned if the report was implemented it would have a detrimental effect both for services within the area and for the workload on staff.
Areas in the North East, including Drogheda, Navan and Cavan, have seen an increase in population over the last few years with an increasing birth rate and a growth in the number of elderly people.
“Everybody is aware that within the North East there are grossly inadequate facilities and health service facilities and there is a requirement for an improvement in that infrastructure, an increase in the number of staff and an appropriate budget to be allocated to the HSE North East so they can deliver the service,” he said.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who represents Cavan and Monaghan, two counties directly affected by the HSE Northeast voiced his concern.
“The reality is that per capita spending in the North East is below the national average.
“It is intolerable that the HSE is suggesting further cuts in the Northeast when the healthcare service in the region is already in deep crisis.
“Cuts such as those reported in the media would further compromise patient safety and will not be tolerated.”
