Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD has claimed that the HSE is to implement cutbacks of up to €25m in the coming months.
These cutbacks will affect all hospitals in the west, including Mayo General Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Portiuncula Ballinasloe, Roscommon Hospital, Sligo General Hospital, and Letterkenny Regional Hospital.
Cuts are expected to affect elective surgery, admissions, temporary staff and temporary contracts, and will be heightened by a no recruitment policy which is now beginning to affect day to day running of hospitals.
“I am reliably informed that HSE staff will be in contact with hospitals very shortly,” Dep Kenny said. “I warned about this on many occasions in the past and pointed out the necessity to move to a single tier universal health policy. Clearly the Minister for Health has abdicated all responsibility for the health portfolio and has let the system drift to a point where this type of drastic response is taken. These proposed cutbacks will affect a great number of people and will be replicated in other areas of the country. It makes a mockery for instance of recent announcements by some Fianna Fáil representatives of major announcements concerning the provision of a centre of excellence for cancer treatment at Mayo General Hospital.”
