Hospital’s bill for agency staff jumps from €860k to €4m in two years

THE cost of recruiting short-term agency staff at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee jumped more than fourfold in two years.

Figures released by the HSE for the hospital show it paid over €4 million to recruitment agencies in 2011, compared to a bill of €862,000 in 2009.

In 2010, the cost was just over €3m.