HSE spends €100m on security at its facilities

THE Health Service Executive has spent more than €100 million on predominantly private security services for its facilities over the last six years.

Total annual security costs for the executive have risen from €15.33m in 2006 to €19.33m last year, an increase of almost 30%.

While security costs were not supplied for 2005, they are understood to be similar to the 2006 figure, while spending this year is also understood to be in line with last year’s figures, meaning the executive has spent over €100m on security since its establishment.

Broken down by region, HSE South saw its security services bill double from €2.4m in 2006 to €4.89m in 2010, while HSE West went from €2.7m in 2006 to a peak of €3.6m in 2009, before reducing slightly to €3.56m last year.

Security costs for Dublin North-East rose from €4.34m to €5.64m in 2008, reducing slightly to €5.52m in 2010, while the costs for Dublin Mid-Leinster rose from €5.8m in 2006 to €6.2m in 2007, but reduced slightly to €5.08m last year.

HSE Corporate, which includes shared services, the Primary Care Reimbursement Service and the now subsumed HSE Employers Agency, has seen huge increases in spending on security services, going from €39,492 in 2006 to €274,989 in 2010, with increased demand for health services partly attributed to the increase in security costs.

The HSE confirmed that its current security services providers include the following companies:

* Noonan’s: HSE South/Midlands/West.

* Secureway: HSE South East/Dublin North-East.

* Sentry Security: HSE South-East.

* Keg Security: HSE Mid-West.

* Burke Security: HSE Mid-West.

* G4 Security: HSE West.

* Kennedy Security: HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster/Dublin North-East.

* Watch It Security: HSE Dublin North-East.

The majority of the HSE’s security requirements are outsourced. However, in-house security and portering services are delivered in some locations.

Explaining its security spend, the HSE said security services are delivered to a wide range of premises, including hospitals, administration centres, clinics and hostel suites, and are contracted in accordance with HSE Procurement Policy.

In hospitals, the contracting of security services covers the provision of a 24/7 operation, which would involve security staff in locations such as emergency departments, in addition to those on gates and performing patrols of grounds, nurses’ homes and labs; alarm monitoring, activation and mobile patrol; key-holding; coin-counting and collection and cash in transit.

The figures also cover the provision of contracts for security patrols of buildings that may be empty at night, such as clinics and laboratories.

There is also the provision of electronic security operations at locations, which includes CCTV and alarm systems, as well as maintenance of such systems.

HSE staff also perform some security services but the executive said it is not possible to break down the cost of this service as security work is carried out by staff that as part of their general facilities services functions (such as facilities management and porter work) including security services.