The HSE early retirement and voluntary redundancy schemes closed at midnight on 19 November. So are these schemes the solution to getting rid of surplus HSE staff or just another example of inept health service management? By Sara Burke

The schemes are a way of cutting down HSE staff numbers but they are another exemplar of ineptitude of its architects – the Department of Finance and the Minister of Health. The numbers applying are well below the target, the scheme was totally unplanned and is being badly managed.

Announcing the scheme which costs €400 million, Minister Harney said it hoped to achieve a reduction of 5,000 HSE management and administrative staff and support staff would be considered after them.

Add a comment

Women in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland don't have the same 'right to choose' an abortion that women in the UK take for granted, reminds the Abortion Support Network (ASN).

Abortion in Ireland is illegal unless it meets with the conditions set down by the Supreme Court in the "X" case, where there was a substantial risk to the life and health of the mother. The Government has yet to legislate for this, however. Last year 4,422 women gave Irish addresses for abortions abroad. Although the number of girls under 16 and women over 35 travelling abroad for abortions increased last year compared to 2008, the overall number of abortions fell last year according to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

Add a comment

In an unprecedented move, yesterday afternoon Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly (pictured) laid a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas entitled 'Who cares – An investigation into the Right to Nursing Home Care in Ireland' – this "own initiative report" – the first of its kind by Ombudsman O'Reilly is damning of the Minister for Health, the Department of Health and the HSE on their failure to meet their obligation to provide nursing home care to older people. By Sara Burke.

The significance of this report cannot be underestimated. If we lived in normal times this report would call into question the viability of the position of the Minister of Health and perhaps even the government.

It concludes that "the State has failed over many years to provide people with their legal entitlement to nursing home care. This failure has caused confusion, suffering and hardship... [and] this failure suggests a wider failure of our systems of government".

Add a comment

It is possible to cut HSE spending without diminishing frontline services. Here's how... writes Sara Burke.

Brian Cowen is right – the choices are stark. The confirmation that next year's budget will be more draconian than already flagged gives even greater import to Mary Harney's statement that up to €1 billion will be cut out of the 2011 health fund. It also helps to focus the mind on the reality that the size of the chunk taken out of health and how it is divvied up are wholly political choices.

There is form for health budget cuts adopted by this current Government. While approximately €1 billion was taken out of the 2010 health budget, two-thirds of that came from cuts to public sector wages. The vast majority of the remaining €400 million came from economies made from better deals done between the State and pharmaceutical companies and cuts to professional contracts such as dentists, GPs and pharmacists.

Add a comment

The Fine Gael plan to dismantle the Health Service Executive (HSE) has been defended by Fine Gael health spokesman James Reilly, Leo Varadkar and Richard Bruton. By Christina Finn

The controversial plan will result in almost 30,000 redundancies and has been criticised by trade union SIPTU.

Fine Gael insists that a health system based on the Dutch model would work in Ireland. The HSE would be replaced with a universal health insurance system and would "prioritise the protection of frontline services and put the patient first," said Mr Reilly.

Add a comment

Mental health is allocated 5.3% of the total health budget, 3% less than the minimum 8.24% recommended in the policy document 'A Vision for Change'. Cross-political and cross-societal groups met yesterday to call on government to protect Mental Health from further cuts. By Eamonn Costello

Campaigners gathered outside Leinster House yesterday in an effort to protect the mental health budget, described as the “Cinderella” of the health services.

 

Add a comment

ESRI CEO Frances Ruane (pictured) chaired an expert group on Resource Allocation in the health sector set up by Mary Harney in April 2008. They have published two volumes of research as well as the report of the working group. Here are some interesting findings from the 800-page report. By Sara Burke.

The ESRI evidence volume produced new figures on Ireland's health spend compared to other countries. They looked across countries and across time and their findings show a significant increase in Ireland's allocation to health as a proportion of national income. It increased from 7% in 2000 to about 12% in 2010. In fact, their figures show that increases in Ireland were in line with other EU and OECD countries which increased their proportion spent on health in a very similar way.

Add a comment

Seven days ago at the ESRI conference on resource allocation in the health sector, Mary Harney said that the HSE is facing cuts 'between €600,000 and one billion'.

I asked Mary Harney would the cuts be higher than €600,000, she said she did not want to speculate, but €600,000 would certainly be a minimum figure. I asked will it be up to one billion – she said 'I am not certain it will be that high, it will be somewhere between €600k and one billion'. She went on to say 'I want to make it clear, it is not going to be easy, no easy way to take that sort of money out, even if you are talking about €600k.... it's very challenging".

Add a comment