THE head of the Irish health service has warned that cuts in staff at Mayo General Hospital are likely in the coming months.
Professor Brendan Drumm, the chief executive of the HSE, said that “nothing can be ruled out” after Budget day, October 14.
New figures reveal that while Mayo General is beginning to get on top of its deficit, the Western ambulance service is in the serious position of facing a potential overspend of •2.6 million.
The health chief ’s comments were made at last week’s meeting of the HSE West regional forum in response to questions from Cllr Patsy O’Brien.
Prof Drumm revealed that a hike of eight to ten per cent in funding for the HSE would be needed to maintain the services at their current level. He said the system was “being squeezed as never before”, and that getting a cash boost would be very unlikely.
He stressed that the Government had categorically refused to give any more money to hospitals before the end of the year, many of whom are under severe pressure to break even. He noted that the HSE had tried to make a major saving by reducing payments to pharmacists, but had received little public support.
“The savings we proposed could have been used to boost front line services,” Prof Drumm said. “Seven-ty per cent of our spending is on staff, and it’s clear that the services will have absolutely no access to supplementary funds this year. I have no magic wand to create funds.”
Mayo General Hospital has been working to rein in its spending in an effort to remain within budget. According to figures issued to HSE West forum members, the Castlebar hospital faced a projected deficit of
•1.2m to the end of August.
The data show, that University College Hospital Galway currently faces a deficit of •3.2m, while Sligo General Hospital could go over budget by half a million euro, if current spending levels continue. Primary and community care services in Mayo currently face a potential overspend of •0.4 million.
Worringly, the Western regional ambulance service, which covers Mayo, Roscommon and Galway, is facing an overspend of •2.6m. The service has already been sharply criticised for reducing its service to non-emergency cases to just four patient categories.
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