HSE boss slates private hospital as ‘parasitic’

A leading private hospital has been accused of having a “parasitic dependence” on a linked public facility after it emerged more than half of its consultants have been wrongly taken from the public wing.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien made the claim at the latest Dáil public accounts committee, warning that the situation is contributing to surging public waiting lists and that unless action is taken the hospital group involved may be starved of future funding.

Speaking during a meeting with the cross-party group, Mr O’Brien said up to 56% of consultants at St Vincent’s Private Hospital “have contracts which do not allow them” to work there.