Fears for hospital if cuts go ahead

THE Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis will not be able to function properly as an acute facility if another proposed cut of almost €1 million for day-to-day spending on services is introduced, a HSE West Forum member has warned.

Councillor Brian Meaney has also claimed that Ennis hospital is taking the worst of the cuts, estimated to be around €17m in total across all health services in the Mid-West.
He said Ennis hospital has already taken a cut of about €1.5m in its budget this year, despite the fact that the hospital is largely meeting its own budgetary requirements. He pointed out this is in stark contrast to some of the larger regional hospitals.
According to the HSE’s own Healthstat figures, the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick was €4.8m over budget, while UCH Galway exceeded its budget by €3.84m at the end of February last.
According to the HSE’s Mid-West Cost Containment Plan May 2011, the HSE is proposing €12.1m in cuts in acute services and €5.42m in cuts across primary care.
Ennis hospital is facing a budget reduction of almost €1m, Nenagh General Hospital is facing a cut of €855,000 and the Mid-West Regional Hospital, Limerick is to sustain a cut of €440,000.
A spokesperson for the HSE said, “The HSE in the Mid-West has a total budget in 2011 of €605m and remains committed to meeting its service plan targets for this year. On the basis of the spend for the first quarter of 2011, the Mid-West is looking at a projected over-run in the order of €17m. Clearly, the situation is not sustainable and the HSE, along with all other public-sector organisations, has a responsibility to deliver a service within the budget allocated.
“All areas of expenditure are being examined across the service to ensure that maximum value for money and further efficiencies are being achieved. Measures that do not have an impact on front-line services are being implemented including, among others, improving day case activity levels, improving same-day admission for services and theatre efficiency, reducing average length of stays, controlling overtime, agency and on-call costs, reducing absenteeism and controlling travel, subsistence and legal costs. We are also targeting substantial improvements in our income collection in 2011.
“All areas of expenditure are being reviewed and will continue to be reviewed to ensure that maximum levels of efficiency, productivity and value for money are achieved. Every effort will be made to ensure that these measures have the least impact on our patients and clients.”
Councillor Meaney claimed Ennis would not be able to deliver acute services properly if this is introduced. “The HSE has cut back spending in Ennis hospital to the bone. Now it looks as if it is cutting the bone to extract the marrow. If this happens, patients will suffer.
“The latest cutback is huge. It would represent about 15% of the remaining budget for the hospital,” he said.
He has tabled an emergency question to seek clarification at the next HSE West Forum meeting.