Surgeries will be cancelled due to health staff exodus

Surgeries will be cancelled in public hospitals to cope with the exodus of health staff under the Government’s early retirement scheme.

The admission by Dr James Reilly, the health minister, comes as the Government faces legal action from former health staff over a botched calculation of their retirement packages.

Dr Reilly said scheduled operations could be delayed while the health system struggles to fill gaps from at least 3,500 staff who were expected to leave by the end of this month.

“I’ve absolutely no problem in saying that if one of the things we have to do is slow down on elective inpatient procedures for a short period of time to allow us absorb this change, then we’ll do that.” Health services could “catch up again” later in the year, he said.

Elective surgery includes scheduled procedures not considered emergencies but which may be important, like kidney transplants and mastectomies.

Those retiring include 1,678 nurses, 84 consultants, 22 radiographers and 30 emergency medical staff. While 494 staff will leave the Dublin Mid-Leinster region, 964 are retiring in the HSE West region.

Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said the exodus would see top health officials leaving positions.

Health support groups reacted with dismay that surgeries would be cancelled. Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients’ Association said: “We’re getting mixed signals that everything about the plan is under control when it’s obviously not.”

Health chiefs are also facing possible legal action from former employees whose retirement packages were miscalculated.

Pensions ombudsman Paul Kenny made the warning over the 2010 HSE scheme, saying he was aware benefits for officials had been overstated by as much as 40%.

Mr Reilly said the situation was a bit of a “conundrum”.

Meanwhile, funding for one of the largest hospitals in Munster is to be slashed by €22m this year, closing 30 beds. The HSE South local service plan, set to be published on Thursday, will outline cuts at Cork University Hospital over the next 11 months.

The HSE refused to comment ahead of the release. Sources said CUH management would be told it has significantly less funds to cover frontline service and elective procedures. It is understood cutbacks are also planned for Kerry General Hospital and Waterford Regional Hospital.