HSE spent €11.5m last year on payments to rehired retirees

Over €26m was spent by the HSE in two years on payments to retired HSE employees.

The largest payouts, on top of pension and lump sum payments, were made to retired nursing and medical grade staff, according to data released by the HSE.

Some 686 retired staff received €11.5m last year after they were rehired, while 773 retired staff received €14.6m in 2010.

In 2010, €8.7m in payments were made to 488 retired nursing staff while €1.8m was given to 49 retired medical grade nursing employees.

More than €1m was paid to 54 general support staff retirees and €880,000 in payments were made to 31 retired health and social care professionals.

Over €7m was paid to 462 retired nursing staff, followed by a payment of €1.7m to 45 medical grade staff in 2011. Almost €1m was paid out to 67 retired employees in the “other client patient services” grade while €717,000 was paid to 48 retired clerical/interviewer staff last year.

The data was released to Labour’s Derek Nolan following a parliamentary question.

Health Minister James Reilly has pledged to cut the number of retirees rehired within the health service but has said that specialist staff may need to be rehired in some instances.

In February, he revealed that the Department of Health had paid over €62,000 in 2010 and 2011 to retired employees for specific projects or tasks.

Thirty-eight retired staff have been rehired since the end of February, including 11 consultants, four medical staff, and 19 nurses.

New figures have also revealed that the department has already spent €92,000 on increments to 356 whole-time equivalent staff so far this year.

The data shows 26,000 in increments were paid to 113 whole-time equivalent staff paid a salary of less than €40,000.

The next largest amount — €23,000 — was paid to 51 whole-time equivalent staff in the €70,001-€80,000 pay range.

About €13,000 was paid to 63 whole-time equivalent staff with a pay range of €50,001-€60,000 while €11,000 was paid to 62 whole-time equivalent staff paid between €40,001 and €50,000.