Inefficient hospitals hit for €4.4m

HOSPITALS guilty of bad management and delaying the discharge of patients have been hit with fines totalling €4.4 million.

Under the performance-related casemix scheme, Dublin’s leading hospitals have been penalised €2.8m. St Vincent’s, with a history of long patient treatment waiting times and a bed-blocking problem, has been worst hit and will see its budget slashed by €1.2m.

James Connolly Memorial has been docked €1.1m and Loughlinstown docked €871,622.