Minister welcomes HSE capacity deal for Covid-19 surge and thanks private hospitals 

The Health Minister welcomed the agreement. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has welcomed an agreement between the HSE and 16 private hospitals to provide additional capacity to deal with a potential surge in Covid-19 cases. 

Public patients can be treated at private hospitals as part of a new HSE deal to cope with the pandemic pressures.

Up to 30% capacity will be given over to this, although the final details have yet to be ironed out.

Minister Donnelly said: “I am delighted that this agreement has been reached and note that the HSE was still in ongoing constructive engagement with the one remaining private hospital, which is already providing service to the public system.”

The Health Minister acknowledged private hospitals already making provisions for potential Covid-19 cases from the public system before the agreement was announced. 

Mr Donnelly added the agreement will be critical for the public health system to cope with any future case surges. 

“The additional capacity created by this agreement is critical to enabling the public health system cope with large scale surges in the incidences of the disease.” 

I would like to thank the private hospitals for their support in the national effort to deal with the current surge in the pandemic. 

"I would also like to thank the VHI, which, at the HSE’s request has agreed to administer the scheme for public patients.”

Hospital agreement

Chief executive of the Bon Secours Health System Bill Maher said today: “Arrangements have been agreed to allow the HSE to contract up to 30% capacity of Bon Secours Health System involving our hospitals in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, and Tralee.” 

In Cork, the Mater Private Network has now confirmed that it will support the South/SouthWest group, specifically Cork University Hospital, the Mercy, and South Infirmary.

A spokesman said: “[MPN] would be taking part in the new arrangement and hope that contracts would be finalised soon.” The hospital will offer medical and surgical treatment to non-Covid patients.

Head of the HSE Paul Reid said earlier this week: “We expect [private hospitals] to put on the green jersey at a time of national need.” 

HSE chief Paul Reid said this week: 'We expect [private hospitals] to put on the green jersey at a time of national need.' Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall

Arrangements between the Bons Secours Tralee and University Hospital Kerry were praised this week by senior HSE officials.

Bons Secours Tralee Hospital manager TJ O'Connor said 30% of their work is already for the HSE, and they expect to do more. The two hospitals began co-operating before the original HSE deal was signed in April.

“The community here is very small, our doctors are part of the community," he said. "We were anxious to make sure UHK could take Covid patients.”

Public patients could get hip operations and other procedures done there since March.

The Pharma Healthcare group (Blackrock, Galway, and Hermitage clinics), owned by Larry Goodman, will also be part of the new agreement.

The Beacon Medical Group has indicated that it will not sign.

Waterford Hospital continues to send oncology patients to Whitfield Clinic as part of the new HSE agreement.