THE BOARD of the Health Service Executive (HSE) is expected to consider controversial proposals for cutbacks in services when it meets today.
It is expected the plan under consideration would include closure of hospital beds during the summer months as well as new restrictions on recruitment and a possible ban on the appointment of locums to replace staff who are absent.
It is understood that the HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm yesterday briefed the Minister for Health Mary Harney on the proposed measures, which are aimed at allowing the health authority to live within its budget.
If the proposals are ratified by the board today, it is expected that the HSE will brief trade unions on the measures within the coming days.
It is expected that HSE management will tell the board today that it recorded a deficit of about €85 million in the first three months of the year.
Much of the overspending is believed to have been recorded on demand-led drug schemes in the community sector.
Sources said that the number of patients qualifying for medical cards had been higher this year than originally predicted.
The HSE is also expected to argue that its finances have been affected by the delay in introducing the controversial reduction in margins for pharmaceutical wholesalers.
This measure was expected to generate savings of up to €100 million per year - and the HSE's budget was set accordingly. However, the reduction did not come into effect until March.
It is expected that details on how the cost-saving measures being planned will affect individual hospitals around the country will not become available until next week.
Meanwhile, it was claimed yesterday that more than 30 beds are about to close at Dublin's Tallaght hospital as a result of budgetary pressures. Tallaght Hospital Action Group claimed the beds being closed were in a urology and orthopaedic ward.
The hospital, in a statement, didn't confirm bed closures but said it may have to cancel planned surgery in coming weeks due to a shortage of nurses.
"The hospital is facing a temporary shortage of nursing staff for a four-week period from late April and is currently trying to fill those positions temporarily. If this is not possible, it may be necessary to reduce elective activity for four weeks so as to ensure that the high quality of care is maintained on all wards," it said.
The board of the HSE was told last month that Tallaght was one of a number of hospitals that had recorded deficits of more than €1 million in January. Prof Drumm has previously warned that the HSE was facing a €300 million "challenge" this year.
He said last month that if HSE spending was not brought under control, measures, including the operation of A&E units in smaller hospitals, the closure of hospital wards at weekends and the shutting down of facilities over the summer could be examined.