Hospital measures aimed at avoiding deficit

ONE of the country’s largest hospitals, the Mater Hospital in Dublin, is putting in place cost containment measures aimed at avoiding a projected deficit of €10-€12 million by the end of the year.

The university hospital yesterday confirmed the cost containment measures, with a spokesman saying “the hospital would be hoping to reduce the deficit to single digits (of millions) and hopefully have a balanced budget by year end.”

The spokesman was commenting on the hospital’s annual accounts for 2010 which confirmed a potential deficit of €17m this year “if existing service and expenditure levels are to be maintained”.