10% drop in health staff since 2007

By Lloyd Mudiwa. The health sector has reduced its numbers of staff by 10 per cent — or by 11,265 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) — since employment levels peaked in September 2007. At the end of December 2012, the health sector employed 101,506 WTE staff, 481 below the end-of-year approved employment ceiling set under the HSE Employment Control Framework. This was a reduction of 2,886 WTEs (-2.8 per cent) compared to the end of 2011. At the end of 2012, all staff categories saw a reduction on the previous year, with management falling by a further 2.8 per cent over 2011…