Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 27 June 2019

Public Accounts Committee

Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals

9:00 am

Photo of Kate O'ConnellKate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When did this practice start? It may have been going on forever but I was unaware of it. On the leasing ones, when were those arrangements made and what are the contract arrangements?

Is it a 25-year lease? Is it a ten-year lease? Perhaps we could have detail on that. It is of interest to the public. When one looks at a building and sees "HSE" over the door, either as a client or as a taxpayer, one assumes that is where the money is going. If we could have that quantified, it would be useful for the committee.

I refer to claims against the State, probably, for next week as well. Hospital consultants have made much commentary lately on pay restoration. As Mr. Breslin will be aware, many consultants have left the system, which has been a challenge. I refer to the brain drain due to the recession. I am quite concerned by the increase in claims against the State and increase in locum use. Is there any data to suggest that there is a correlation between the increase in litigation when one has a more fluid workforce rather than the standard? Has the Department any data to show it is dangerous or more dangerous to the outcomes for patients not to have regular staff who are working all the time in a particular hospital? Has the Department done any work on that?

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