Senior CUH clinicians defend €2.3m spend on external management consultants

The Cork hospital 'simply did not have the capacity clinically or managerially' to implement reforms on its own

The South/Southwest Hospital Group, which includes Cork University Hospital, said €1,765,148 was paid to PwC between January and May. This brings the bill since October to €2,373,400.

Cork University Hospital (CUH) spent almost €1.8m between January and May on external management consultants on top of paying €608,000 last year to the same firm.

The hospital and senior clinicians have now defended the outlay, saying they do not have the capacity clinically or managerially to make much-needed reforms on their own.