Hospital doctors cost €22k a day in overtime

Two of Ireland’s largest hospitals spent more than €8m on junior doctor overtime last year — the equivalent of €22,000 a day.

Figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show that Tallaght Hospital and the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick spent that amount, despite employing less than 10% of all junior doctors in Ireland.

The details have been published by the Medical Independent in the lead-up to an imminent junior doctors strike over excessive working hours, due to begin next week.