HSE announces 60 new consultant posts

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced the appointment of 60 new consultants to 24 hospitals that have met performance targets in their accident and emergency departments.

The €10 million investment is part of the HSE's 100 Plus scheme under which it has pledged to appoint 100 new consultants to hospitals with high-performing emergency departments.

The remaining 40 consultants are expected to be announced by the end of October, the HSE said.

The additional appointments will cover a range of specialities including emergency medicine, radiology, general medicine, general surgery and geriatric medicine.

However, the new appointments are unlikely to be made until talks on a new contract for consultants have finished - which may take some time.

The Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick will get eight of the new consultants with a further four spread across the midwestern network.

Dublin's St James's and St Vincent's hospitals will each get six, Waterford Regional Hospital will get five, and Galway will get four.

The HSE says the posts will support its Winter Initiative Programme to reduce emergency department waiting times for patients.

The appointments will allow consultants on call to be available in A&E departments daily until 10pm and are aimed at enhancing diagnostic services for GPs and services in the community.

The HSE also said the move will increase the number of senior "decision makers" who will be present in emergency departments as well as the length of time such clinicians will be available.

Chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm said the new posts would ensure "that we maximise the use of our hospital and community facilities, and more importantly provide care that minimises the inconvenience for patients."

"Enabling patients to get in, through and out of our hospitals as quickly as possible must be our goal. This is what is best for patients and staff alike," he said.

The 100 Plus scheme was launched last year and is supported by eight local implementation teams.