Plan cuts €120.55m from budget

By Gary Culliton.

The HSE’s Dublin North East (DNE) region faces a staffing reduction of 961 and a budget cut of €120.55 million (6.2 per cent) in 2012.

Following recent retirements, up to 561 extra staff will need to leave the service. In addition, there is a requirement to reduce agency costs by up to 50 per cent nationwide.

While the focus of resource reductions in previous years was on pay rate reductions, procurement and non-pay costs, the focus this year will be on staffing levels and overall pay costs, including agency and overtime. Expected retirements to the end of February 2012 will reduce staff numbers by 400 from the January 1, 2012, level. The region has an overall budget allocation of €1,755 million and a staffing level of 20,453. Between 2009 and 2012, funding for the DNE Region reduced by €493.5 million, the HSE said.

“We will need to reduce our staff numbers while delivering safe services and improving access times,” said HSE DNE Regional Director of Operations Stephen Mulvany.
“Between 2009 and 2012 our staff levels are due to have fallen by over 3,588 whole time equivalents (WTEs). The DNE Regional Service Plan will be reviewed in March once the full extent and impact of retirements to the end of February is known. The HSE DNE budget allocation this year for Primary Care Services is €143.8 million; Hospital Services €797.4 million; Older People Services €95.4 million; Mental Health Services €137 million; Disability Services €333.7 million; Children and Family Services €161.6 million; Palliative Care Services €11.3 million; and Social Inclusion Services €34.8 million.

DNE will make (or benefit from) priority investments in maintaining and improving services during 2012, including €6 million from the National Clinical Programmes, and there will be an additional 200 to 240 long-term care beds via the national Fair Deal programme, the Executive said.

There will be investment in Mental Health Services and €4 million to €5 million plus 75 staff as replacements for priority Primary Care Service frontline staff (from a €20 million national fund).

Dublin North East will also invest €190,000 to develop a Specialist Palliative Care outpatient community nursing service at St Francis Hospice.

gary.culliton@imt.ie