Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 May 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

HSE National Service Plan 2022: Discussion

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I completely agree that the recruitment piece has to happen locally from the point of view of recruiting local people and the identification with the provision of services locally. That is why recruitment needs to be taken away from the corporate centre. I hope that will be a key part of the regional health areas.

I know Mr. Reid and his colleagues have to keep the show on the road every day, they are operating at high pressure levels and they have to have staff in place. There is a problem, however, with what can be seen as privatisation by stealth where there are difficulties or decisions taken that the HSE will bring in private companies to provide those services. That is a real problem.

I really would like to get figures from the HSE at some stage to see how much of its budget is being spent on outside organisations, be they voluntary, charitable or commercial. There seems to be a growing commercial element in HSE staffing responses. I looked at Nua Healthcare Services recently. It is getting about €75 million for the provision of disability services and another €22 million for mental health services. It is a commercial company and there are lots of others. A significant number of EY staff have been brought into the HSE. This is creating a particular dynamic. If the HSE is bringing in private companies to provide public services, it does not sit very well with existing staff and causes a lot of resentment among them. We hear that a lot. My concern is that there seems to be a trend towards outsourcing services and bringing in private providers. Could Mr. Reid talk to us about that?

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