Voluntary hospitals criticise 'heavy hand of centralised control' by HSE

Voluntary hospitals are run by boards or private bodies, but also receive a large proportion of their funding from the HSE

The Irish Voluntary Healthcare Association's members includes the Mercy University Hospital in Cork. Picture: Denis Scannell

The head of the association representing the country's 19 voluntary hospitals has criticised the "heavy hand of centralised control" by the HSE over the hospitals.

The Irish Voluntary Healthcare Association's members include the Mercy University Hospital in Cork, Children’s Health Ireland and Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services.