'Chronic underinvestment' in Mid West as UL hospitals created only 61 posts last year

The new figures were released in response to parliamentary questions put by Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Only 61 full-time posts in acute services were created in the University of Limerick Hospital Group last year, just 2.3% of the national figure, highlighting a “chronic underinvestment” in the Mid West.

That is according to Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara, who said the statistics released to him via parliamentary questions show that the increase in the healthcare workforce in acute services in the Mid West “falls far behind the increases seen in other regions of the country”.