Just over 500 of the more than 4,000 staff leaving the health service at the end of the month are to be replaced, it emerged today.
The chief executive of the HSE, Cathal Magee, said 4,326 staff are too leave the organisation before the new pension changes come into effect at the end of the month.
The Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children was told this morning that 524 posts, or just over 12 per cent of those leaving, are to be replaced.
Fifty-seven hospital consultants are to leave, and 48 of these will be replaced, the committee heard. A total of 80 nurses working in maternity services are to be replaced, as are 27 of the 30 nursing posts in paediatrics that will become vacant at the end of the month.
Earlier this month, Minister for Health James Reilly said some planned operations may have to be postponed as a result of the impact of more than 3,000 early retirements from the HSE, has said.
Dr Reilly conceded the Government was somewhat “disadvantaged” because the incentivised retirement scheme did not target specific workers.
“If one of the things we have to do is slow down on elective in-patient procedures for a short period . . . we will increase our productivity towards the middle of the year to catch up again.”
It is likely that elective operations such as cataract removal and hip replacements will be affected if operations are delayed arising from the skills shortfall.
