HSE needs zero tolerance of absenteeism, says chairman

THERE must be zero tolerance of absenteeism, the newly appointed head of the Health Service Executive insisted yesterday.

HSE chairman Dr Frank Dolphin said a halving of the absenteeism rate in the health service would save €100m a year.

Dr Dolphin, a clinical psychologist and one of the country’s leading entrepreneurs, said the current absenteeism rate of about 5% equated to around two working weeks a year for all staff.