HSE cuts shortfall estimate to €480m

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has revised the projected shortfall in its 2009 budget downwards from €1.2 billion to €480 million.

The new estimate, in line with the figure given by Health Minister Mary Harney recently, follows a meeting of the HSE board. A statement issued after the meeting said the estimate was in light of “the most recent monthly financial information available at the end of February”. The statement said the board had tasked the HSE with devising proposals to deliver e72m in savings on top of the e133m already identified.

Last night, HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm said the latest savings would impact on frontline services.