THE HEALTH Service Executive will tell trade unions today it plans to let go hundreds of temporary staff in the west and to place significant numbers of others on reduced hours, possibly a three-day week in some cases, in an effort to tackle its financial deficit.
HSE management will also propose reducing expenditure on overtime and allowances by moving away from having hospital beds open on a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day basis and converting these to day-beds or five-day beds.
Beds and theatres in hospitals will be closed as part of the cutback plans.
In its west region, the HSE also aims to save money through new efficiencies and value-for-money drives in areas such as procurement of medical supplies, blood products and equipment.
The HSE will also seek greater flexibility to redeploy permanent staff from corporate areas to more frontline functions to replace temporary staff.
It is understood that at a Labour Relations Commission hearing on the proposed cutbacks, which will resume in Galway today, the HSE will indicate it has recorded a financial deficit of € 57 million in the western region up to June. It will forecast a shortfall of € 91 million for the year without remedial action.
The Irish Times reported last week that management consultants commissioned by the HSE in the west had recommended that up to 1,000 temporary staff could be let go in a bid to tackle the financial deficit.
At the hearing today, the HSE is expected to make a series of presentations about the financial situation in the various parts of its western region - which extends from Limerick to Donegal - and to set out proposed cutbacks in each area.
There is no overall figure for the number of temporary staff to be let go under the plans. However, informed sources said last night it would run into the hundreds.
The confidential presentations will say that in Galway, hospital clerical-staffing levels could be reduced by 15 whole-time equivalents to be achieved by a reduction in hours of 50 per cent. This would affect all temporary clerical staff with less than three years' service and a portion of those with under four years.
The presentations will say that nursing staff levels could be cut by 16 whole-time equivalents to be achieved by a reduction in hours of 50 per cent. It will say that this will affect all temporary nursing staff with less than two years service and a portion of those with less than three years.
There are also proposals to reduce temporary consultant staffing by 4.5 whole-time equivalents and to cease agency staff contracts for five radiation therapists in the cancer service.
At Letterkenny General Hospital, in Co Donegal, it is proposed to reduce the working hours of 94 temporary staff by eight hours per week. A presentation will state that this will result in the reduction of one intensive care bed and the closure of one theatre.
The HSE will also propose closing 12 orthopaedic beds at the hospital and converting an additional six to five-day status.
It will also suggest limiting intervention cardiology procedures, limiting elective surgery and charging staff € 10 per month for car parking on the campus.
The presentation will state that primary, community and continuing care services in Donegal are facing a € 4.7 million financial gap and that the position is "not sustainable". The presentation maintains that there are 255 temporary staff in the community services with contracts "due to expire".
It is unclear whether the proposal is to let these staff go or to reduce their hours. The presentation will state the consequence of a reduction in the number of temporary staff would be a reduced service provision.
For the HSE's mid-west region, the presentations will state that a reduction in whole-time equivalent staffing levels of 256 would be required for six months but that in a worst-case scenario this could rise to 553. It is unclear whether these staff could face being let go or having their hours reduced.
The HSE last night said it would be inappropriate to comment on its plans in advance of the Labour Relations Commission hearing.