Contract loophole likely to cost €23m

HEALTH Service Executive chief Brendan Drumm has admitted hospitals are likely to lose €23 million because of a loophole in the new hospital consultants’ contract.

The expected hit to the taxpayer is despite claims by Health Minister Mary Harney that she had warned the HSE in advance about the glitch.

The money will be lost due to a payment to the HSE normally made by health insurance companies for private patients, which will now not be collected.