Martin's hospital budgets cuts 'will deepen crisis'

THE majority of Dublin hospitals, heavily fined for failing to perform within budget, declined to comment yesterday on the penalties.

As Fine Gael criticised the mechanism used for assessing hospital efficiency, the Western Health Board said a €2.6 million boost will be used to improve hospital services.

Since the introduction of the performance-related casemix scheme four years ago, the Galway-based University College Hospital and Merlin Park Regional Hospital are the most efficient group in Ireland.