HSE spent over €850m on agency staff in less than two years
Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the health service spent €390m on agency staff in 2020 and a further €461.7m between January and October 2021.
The HSE has spent more than €850m on agency staff in less than two years, new figures reveal.
Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the health service spent €390m on agency staff in 2020 and a further €461.7m between January and October 2021.
A spokesperson for the HSE said the spending was necessary in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic but the country's main nursing union says such expenditure on temporary staff was only necessary because of the failure to adequately staff frontline services.
A breakdown of the spending during the 22 month period shows that around €270m was spent on support services along with around €180m on nursing staff, more than €170m on medical/dental staff, €132m on management/administrative staff and around €83m on paramedical staff.
The HSE said health service sourced “additional agency staff primarily to support the expansion of the workforce in response to the Covid-19 pandemic”.
“Due to the immediate nature of the unprecedented emergency, coupled with the additional strain already being felt by the HSE recruitment services, it was necessary to engage outside agencies to assist in this work.
“The HSELive service has been providing the Covid-19 helpline throughout the pandemic,” the spokesperson added.
“In addition, agency teams were engaged within the Office of the Chief Information Officer primarily to commission the technology for new centres for both testing and tracing and also to support those users.
“These initiatives, among others, related to the HSE’s response to the Covid-19 emergency, have directly impacted on agency costs incurred."
The spokesperson said agency spending is under constant review and “the reduction and control of agency costs continue to be a particular focus” for the health service.
"Recruitment and retention of clinical, nursing and other key staff is a constant challenge and impacts adversely on the ability to maintain safe and effective services.
“The balance between high cost and high risk to service quality and safety is struck through agency and overtime use to provide/maintain necessary services,” the HSE added.
However, a spokesperson for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said the level of expenditure on agency staff highlights the need to recruit better.
“The figures point to the absolute necessity to achieve self-sufficiency in nursing and midwifery supply in Ireland through substantial increases in undergraduate education and training places.”
The spokesperson also highlighted the need for the framework for safe nurse staffing to be progressed and funded.
Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said the level of spending on agency staff is “without doubt one of the greatest wastes of money, not only in the health service but in the whole State”.
“This practice has never been good value for money, it has never delivered for patients as regards continuity of care, and it is not beneficial for other full-time staff either."
