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THE HSE IS expected to secure somewhere between 160 and 200 medical beds in additional capacity through private hospitals in the coming days, as it estimates that it will have spent €130 million on private sector capacity by the end of this year, outside of National Treatment Fund spending.
In recent months the HSE, the Government and the Private Hospitals Association (PHA) became embroiled in a back and forth on extra bed capacity.
The CEO of the PHA Jim Daly told the HSE that it may have left it too late to contract extra bed capacity from private hospital over the winter ‘surge’ period, when hospital overcrowding reaches its height.
In September, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster told the Oireachtas health committee that he was “surprised” at the PHA’s stance, and said it wasn’t the case that he had just “picked up the phone and asked for a few beds”.
Speaking at the annual PHA conference in Kildare today, the chief operating officer of the HSE, Damian McCallion, said that the tender the HSE put out for 160-200 extra beds is about to conclude.
He also said that for the first time, the arrangement between private hospitals and the HSE is being standardised and formalised, rather than being organised more so at a local level as need emerges.
“We put in a load of beds at local level last winter in response to the crisis that evolved, and we’re now keen to put that on a more sustainable footing.
“In terms of the surge period, December through to January and February, we can work together around it, we need to move to a more strategic arrangement,” he said.
McCallion added that a review is due to take place of the HSE’s spending in the private sector next year, to make sure that the service is using the “pot of money” being spent on acute bed capacity and scheduled care as wisely as it can be.
“We need to demonstrate value for money.
“Some beds are more productive than others, and some hospitals are making it work better than others in terms of maintaining flow of patients in the system, and reducing the pressure and risk in emergency departments. Anyone who has been in an overcrowded ED will know that it’s not a nice place, it’s ugly.”
Bill Maher, the CEO of the Bon Secours private health system, said “in truth, in the next few days we will get to the end of the procurement process.”
“This is first time we have had a proper framework, something we’ve talked about for years. Let’s applaud that,” he added.
Maher, speaking to McCallion, said that the surge period will last beyond February, and that a long term agreement is needed between the HSE and private hospitals year round.
“That’s the only thing we disagree on. Let’s have this dialogue soon about what capacity is needed, let’s get through winter together,” he added.
Speaking to The Journal at the conference today, Jim Daly the CEO of the PHA said that no private hospitals have signed a contract with the HSE yet to provide extra bed capacity.
“The HSE get what we are saying about long term planning, they are anxious to work with us. They have committed to a review in the short term, and that’s good.
“This is the first time we have something that isn’t an ad hoc arrangement, there were some changes made to the contract along the way, where things weren’t working like they needed to, and that’s ok, we are all grown ups, we can deal with that,” Daly further added.
Since last February, the HSE has been paying for 160 beds within the private system every day, at a cost of roughly €1400 – €1500 a day.
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Should be brought under the control of CAB.
And on it goes, how’s the lovely Dee doing these days ?
@higgy636: She was about to present herself but she stubbed her toe. Her doc recommended she takes a 12-18 month rest. In the Maldives, I believe.
@higgy636: still out sick.
@higgy636: No improvement in her at all she got an awful dose bless her
@higgy636: not well at all, she has a desperate dose altogether.
Does this crowd audit the OPW as well? If that’s the case you’ll have to forgive my scepticism.
The irony of CAB being mentioned in the article. Despite the lies, cover ups & corporate fraud, there was no Garda raids, NBCI, Revenue, CAB raids on RTE. Instead the Misinformation & Lies was rewarded with mega Exit Packages, Pensions & NDA’s & a Bailout of close to a Billion Euros. RTE can now appoint their own Boss again from within under new EU rules, no change or transparency again & only a matter of time before the next scandal. White Collar Crime is well & truly alive at the top echelons of Irish society.
@SV3tN8M4: fianna fail, RTE and the Catholic church. The unholy Trinity that have been at the heart of everything wrong with this country. After decades of turning a blind eye to fianna gael and the church’s horrendous crimes, it was natural they would have a run at it themselves.
Someone has to have control over the spending of OUR money!!! And not RTE…..
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: It’s like giving a child a debit card and code!!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: RTE throwing themselves a big party on Thursday evening in the Merrion. Freebies all around and paid for naturally, by the Irish Taxpayer.
There a families waiting and depending on government supports to get through the winter.ryan tubridy still won’t pay pack hundreds of thousands bred o keeffe got 400k illegally and wouldn’t stand a chance if she was brought to court dee forbes god knows what she got glennan the same Coveney 200k plus it just goes on white collar crime with no accountability. The public accounts committee got their publicity and we’ll paid above their td and senator salaries
@Stephen Byrne: Tuberty was entitled to the money in his contract and when they fired him for speaking out that he was exonerated by the report he was right to keep the money!
@Pat Redmond:
Tubirdy did say he’d give the money back if he didn’t do the work…
He didn’t do the work, and he didn’t give the money back…
It shows his true character, he is a dishonest liar.
@Stephen Byrne: Hundreds of thousands ?
While the gravy train for the stars keeps chugging along
Mr Seamus McCarthy had bern Comptroller and Auditor General since 2012. Why has he allowed taxpayers money to be wasted. Why has he allowed procurement procedures to be ignored or bypassed. Why has Mr McCarthy allowed the building of the Children’s Hospital to go so over budget that no one knows what the final figure will be. The question needs to be asked as to what the function of the Comptroller and General Office is and to whom they report to. Who is actually monitoring them?
What a waste of taxpayers money documentries on Smurfit and ex coke head ben dunne. Their families are rich to finance documentaries on their loved ones. Ex dj gets off totally scott free. If a working class person had done what she did she would have got the 18 months. No justice in Ireland.
If a picture could paint a thousand words….
It was not a Ryan Tubridy payment scandal. It was an RTE payment scandal. RTE concealed the true figure of what he was earning to pretend they were keeping under 500k. On discovery it opened up RTE’s can of worms of hidden accounts and gross waste of public money. It suits RTE to blame Ryan Tubridy, get rid of him and carry on.
@Pat Redmond:
Ryan Tubirdy sent invoices from a shell company that had never issued an invoice before to a company in England that he had never sent an invoice to ever, for work had hadn’t done, all to keep the payments hidden.
Where did u get that from ?
@Pat Redmond: Did Tubridy not promise the Oireachtas he would pay back the 150k if he didn’t do the work?
@Sheila McNulty:
Tubirdy and his accountant said that to the PAC.
@Tom Murphy: And has he ever given any reason as to why he decided not to return the 150K?
@KTH: I’m surprised he isn’t running for fianna fail with that resume!
@KTH: the invoice was sent to the address supplied by RTE
I predict FG and RTE in coalition after the next election
The day Harris announced that he’s giving the ramshackle that is RTE, three quarters of a billion euro was the day I eliminated any doubt about giving FG a vote. Has to be an Independent vote at this stage.
Probably need a few more reports and committees to push this on a bit. They could meet in the bike shed, security hut, and children’s hospital. There is room besides the voting machines (remember them). They have the printer to print documents if they got it in the building in the end for a few million.
@did you every wonder: they could have built the children’s hospital with all the old reports Micheal Martins had drawn up when he was health minister.
At least the bike shelter and accessory work is still there.
Pat redmond he was to do 3 gigs for Renault with a stage the late late budget paid for he was paid for the 3 by rte and he stated he would give the money back if he didn’t do the gigs he didn’t and he didn’t give money back where was the revenue commissioners
@Stephen Byrne: he was contracted by RTE to do the Renault events. He was always entitled to the money regardless of the events happening or not. In light of his shafting by RTE it is hardly surprising that he didn’t hand them back his money.
Wind up order would be more appropriate
The RSA should be under investigation due to long waiting periods for NCT tests and their sheer incompetence in not utilising the CVRT network (the equivalent of the NCT for Commercial vehicles) into testing vehicles as you have to bring a car derived van to these centres. So the capacity is there in system but the RSA don’t want to do this.
And still we have the top ten earners starting with Duffy the whole way down. Nothing was done about any of them and there all still laughing at us the whole way to the banks.
Trash, they haven’t got a cent from me since 2019
I’m glad I’m up to date with my license, don’t watch RTE.
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