Structural changes within the HSE could cause uncertainty and lead to a “potential negative impact” on the pace of decisions and operations within the health system, the Executive has warned.
According to the HSE Dublin North East (DNE) Regional Service Plan 2012, “potential uncertainty caused by impending health structure changes and the potential negative impact of same on the speed of which necessary decisions are made and implemented within the delivery system” is a risk to the successful delivery of the Plan.
Speaking in the Dáil last week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the HSE Governance Bill, which will facilitate the move towards a directorate structure as proposed by the Government, would come before the House in the current session, and work is also underway to establish between 10 and 13 new hospital governance groups.
The DNE Service Plan also warns that a major crisis in staffing could emerge this year due to a commitment to shed 961 staff before any “priority replacement staff” are recruited.
Just 400 staff will retire at the end of February but the region must lose 561 more staff if it is to hit its employment ceiling target by the end of 2012.
“The above staff reductions will be needed before any priority replacement staff are recruited,” the Plan outlines.
This means that major gaps in service provision in crucial areas could emerge and be left without sufficient staff until the target is met.
Further risks to the delivery of the plan, which includes a service activity reduction of at least three per cent, will occur if an inadequate number of NCHDs are recruited.
The plan outlines the “significant challenge in maintaining staff in certain specialties and locations” and warns that changes within the HSE could also be an obstacle.
Less capacity will lead to less activity and longer waiting times for patients, Mr Stephen Mulvany, HSE DNE Regional Director of Operations, said last week.
“If there is less overall activity and less capacity the average waiting time for some people may increase, so it may move from three-to-four months or five-to-six months in some areas,” he said.
“We have to reduce the costs in our hospitals in Dublin North East by roughly eight per cent.”
“This varies from six per cent in some hospitals to over 10 per cent in others, depending on carry-over deficits.”
Some 100 beds may close in acute hospitals while 105 more beds may close in community hospitals due to a cut of €120 million in funding.
Image courtesy of Bludgeoner86, Creative Commons
