HOSPITALS HAVE been told to cut back on their activity, to reform overtime and sick leave and to adopt a new zero tolerance approach to using agency staff in a bid to tackle widespread overspending.
In a memo to regional directors, Health Service Executive (HSE) national director for integrated services Laverne McGuinness said managers must maximise the potential to deliver services on a five-day-week basis, thereby reducing reliance on overtime or the use of agency staff at weekends. She said all service managers had to review existing staffing levels and plan to deliver services within funded resources.
“Depending on the roster gaps that present, it may be necessary to operate with reduced staffing numbers on a particular roster/ shift. In the first instance, where a manager decides that additional staff hours are required, the options of staff on reduced hours working additional hours or working for time off in lieu must be considered.”
Ms McGuinness said hospital activity including inpatient, day case and emergency admissions had to be brought back into line with the levels set out in the HSE’s service at the start of the year.
She said controls had to be introduced to support efforts to achieve a new zero tolerance to the use of agency staff.
Ms McGuinness also said overall absenteeism rates in the HSE were too high. She said mangers had to refocus on service areas where the problem was most severe.
The memo is largely based on instructions for cutbacks given to the HSE by the Department of Health earlier this month after it rejected proposals by the health authority to cut bed numbers and curtail elective admissions in a bid to tackle its €281 million deficit.
Meanwhile, HSE chief executive Cathal Magee said yesterday he had given Taoiseach Enda Kenny a full rationale for his decision to leave the organisation at this time when new structures were to be put in place. Mr Magee held talks with the Taoiseach at Government Buildings.
Mr Magee’s resignation caused turmoil within the Government during the week after it emerged that Minister for Health James Reilly had not informed any of the Labour Party Ministers of the development until after details were published by The Irish Times on Wednesday.
Mr Magee said yesterday he had enormous respect for Mr Kenny, who chairs the Cabinet sub-committee on health. He described the meeting with the Taoiseach as “very good”.
