VHI stand-off forces Mahon hospital to close

THE country’s newest private hospital has been forced to close with the loss of 75 jobs because of a stand-off with VHI over cover.

Staff at the Cork Medical Centre (CMC), which opened last October, were told yesterday their contracts are being temporarily suspended for four weeks.

But following the VHI’s statement on Tuesday that it is not providing cover for any new private hospital facilities in Ireland this year, the hospital is unlikely to reopen.