HSE spent €3m-plus to re-hire retired staff

The HSE spent over €3m re-hiring 120 ex-employees to fill chronic service gaps last year — including three medics who were re-appointed a day after retiring and six managers who returned at a cost of €117,575.

Figures show the significant spend was used to re-appoint a string of doctors, nurses and management who left under early retirement and voluntary redundancy packages.

According to a Freedom of Information Act response to trade newspaper The Medical Independent, the €3.3m was used to re-hire 120 former employees who were already in receipt of pensions and lump sum retirement deals.