Errors in how CUH donations managed

Money donated to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for research and education has ended up in bank accounts set up by staff without senior management approval and the hospital’s finance department is not always made aware of these funds.

An internal HSE audit of non-routine income received by the hospital from external sources — as opposed to routine income generated by patient charges and carparks — found it is often not routed through CUH’s finance department or through the official HSE bank account.

Auditors said this increased the risk “that solicited and unsolicited income is received by CUH employees and departments...outside of hospital or HSE management control” and that all sources of income “may not be properly identified, collected or accounted for”.