Sweeping health cuts on way
HSE to outline closures and service reductions in bid to avoid €90m deficit
THE HSE will today outline drastic cuts, including the closure of a children's residential service, health centres and home help services, in a bid to avoid a deficit of €90m this year.
Documents seen by the Irish Independent reveal a range of measures will be taken to slash costs in the west. They include a major reduction in community health services and downsizing of hospitals.
Copies of presentations to be given to unions at the Labour Relations Commission today say the cost containment plan is "a must and non-negotiable".
The HSE West will say its budget overrun was €59m at the end of June, and is forecast to rise to €90m by the end of the year.
Among the cuts to be revealed are:
- Closure of a children's residential service in the Galway Local Health Office area.
- Closure of small health centres and transfer of staff.
- A reduction of 255 temporary contract staff from community services in Donegal, including 92 nurses, and the loss of at least four temporary consultant staff at Galway University Hospital.
- Reduction in home help expenditure of €510,000 in the Galway Local Health Office Area, equivalent to a 10pc cut in home help hours.
- Closure of 27 beds at Mayo General Hospital, with no overnight admissions.
- Reconfiguration of three wards at Galway University Hospital from seven to five days.
- Amalgamation of wards in mental health services and amalgamation of community hostels and psychiatric services, with a reduction in beds.
- Greater savings in patient transport and recycling aids and appliances.
- Transfer of some services to the community.
Sources said an earlier draft of the report commissioned by the HSE named Roscommon County Hospital for closure or downsizing.
It was also revealed that Portiuncula Hospital in Galway had been examined for closure or downgrading.
The HSE has instructed managers to act on the Mott MacDonald report's recomm- endation that temporary contracts not be renewed.
It said there are no plans to close acute hospitals .
There will be a "delayering" of structures, and Galway and Roscommon will become an "integrated service", the presentation states.
- Anne-Marie Walsh Industry Correspondent
Irish Independent
