Mr. Gerard O'Callaghan:

One question was on our financial targets. This year budgets have, for the first time, been based on the rate in the previous year, which is much more practical. Instead of getting a supplementary budget at the end of the year, we get figures in the middle of the year, and if we wish for certain targets, we can have the money rolled over to the following year. The south-south west region is on target so we do not have any plans to cut services at this time.

On capacity, there are both physical and staffing issues across our group. At the moment, 16 beds are closed, of which six are in Cork University Hospital, CUH, and ten in Waterford which are staffing related. Of the six in CUH, one is an infection issue which will be cleared up in a couple of days and there are a few bedclothes issues. The number is small and there are extra beds elsewhere in the hospital. A big challenge for us is the issue of theatre nurses and this has had an impact in recent months, leading to a lot of theatre work being put off. We do not have any beds closed that cannot be reopened easily.

I was asked about recruitment, and we have done a lot of work with UCC on education. We commenced an MSc course in physiotherapy because we do not recruit or train physiotherapists in Cork and it was an opportunity to create those positions. It allows people to have an affinity with Cork hospitals and more physiotherapists will be available going forward. We are also discussing radiography services and are hopeful that we will get an MSc in radiography off the ground in the next two years. In this way we are hoping to address staffing issues in the areas mentioned. Nursing is also a big area for us.