Frontline services to suffer in HSE cutbacks

Frontline services and patients are set to suffer as a further €721m is shaved from this year’s health budget, the HSE has admitted.

The agency plans to save the money by cutting up to 4,000 jobs, reducing access to GP services and putting elderly people on nursing home waiting lists until beds are “vacated”.

Under the plan, 40,000 people will also lose medical cards due to income eligibility changes, while €60m more than was stated in the December budget will be cut from primary care.