Department defends staff numbers despite HSE remit

THE Department of Health has defended its continued retention of administrative staff despite the Health Service Executive shouldering much of its former workload.

The department has cut its staff from 651 to 526 since the HSE took responsibility for a workforce of 113,000 in January 2005.

The figure of 526 includes 53 human resources staff, which account for 10% of its total workforce. The HSE, meanwhile, has 1,300 people in its human resources section, which account for 1%.