Union dismisses HSE ‘back-office’ savings plan

IMPACT trade union has dismissed HSE claims that it will claw back a €300m overspend through cutbacks in the back office and claimed frontline services will be affected.

The HSE has told health unions it expects to make the savings through cuts in travel and subsistence costs, training and overtime as well as non-clinical frontline areas in order to end the year within budget. However, IMPACT claims not only can the €300m not be recouped from back-office services alone, but also that the HSE is facing a bill for:

n€129m — the HSE’s share of €144m worth of new health “savings” announced by the health minister last week.