Agency nurses cost HSE €123m

Five firms providing agency workers to the HSE were paid €123m last year — with two sharing an almost €87m payout.

According to figures provided by the HSE, one agency, Nurse On Call, nearly doubled its revenues from the HSE last year from €22.7m to €43.1m.

Nurse on Call is the sole supplier of agency nurses to all HSE hospitals and to HSE-funded hospitals — including HSE home care — for the HSE Regions of Dublin North East, Dublin Mid-Leinster, HSE South and HSE Midlands.