Health Service Executive aims to cut 4,000 staff this year

The Health Service Executive has announced plans to cut 4,000 staff across the board as part of its plans to make savings of €721m this year. The plan provides for 3,400 full-time staff leaving, or four per cent of the workforce, generating savings of €286m. Around 1,500 staff are expected to leave through "natural attrition", although provision is being made for 1,025 key posts to be filled. Approved by Minister for Health Dr James Reilly, the National Service Plan for 2013 also revealed that the Executive is facing increased costs of €748m this year due to increased demand for medical cards and drugs, among others. The plan outlined that hospitals are facing an incoming projected deficit of €271m as the year starts. Some €323m will be cut from national primary care schemes, while the HSE has said it plans to make savings of €106m in pay and flexibility, under the Croke Park Deal, plus a further €150m in its payments to staff expenditure. Developed in the context of Government policy documents; 'Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health service 2012-2015' and the 'Department of Health Statement of Strategy 2011 - 2014', the plan HSE National Service Plan 2013 was drawn up with the new Director General Designate of the HSE, Tony O'Brien, directing the HSE team. Minister for Health, James Reilly says, "The lesson of the last two years in health services is clear. We have the capacity to maintain safe services and to improve services even though funding levels have to fall. "It is Government policy that the greatest protection should be given to the most vulnerable and I'm pleased to confirm that the budget levels for Home Care Packages/Home Help has been set at the 2012 level, without cuts." Minister Reilly said that he has received assurances from Mr O'Brien that the appointment of a wide range of health professionals in the areas of mental health and primary care will be fast-tracked, and from early 2013, a targeted recruitment campaign will be mounted by the HSE to fill hundreds of posts in these areas.