HSE retirements will cause surgery slowdown, says Health Minister

Health Minister Dr James Reilly said today that elective surgeries may have to be postponed while hospitals deal with the impact of staff retirements at the end of this month.

Health Minister Dr James Reilly said today that elective surgery procedures may have to be postponed while hospitals deal with the impact of staff retirements at the end of this month.

However, he expects day cases to be increased again, once the HSE adapts to the new situation.

Around 8,000 public-sector staff, many of them in the health service, are due to leave their jobs at the end of February to avail of better pension packages.

Minister Reilly has moved to assure patients that their safety will not be compromised by the exodus.

However, he has said that says elective procedures may have to be delayed while hospital managers deal with staff shortages.

"I've absolutely no problem in saying that one of the things we have to do is slow down on elective in-patient procedures for a short period of time to allow us absorb this change, then we'll do that," he said.

"But we will increase our productivity toward the middle of the year, because I have made it very clear that the new challenge this year is that every patient be treated within nine months."