HEALTH CHECK FOR HOSPITALS

HEALTH bosses are advertising for EUR80k-a-year pen-pushers as they plan massive cut-backs that will close close operating theatres and shut A & E departments at night.

The HSE also plans to turn down new medical card applicants in a bid to save EUR300million this year, it was claimed yesterday.

But it recently hired a "human resources expert" at EUR250,000 a year for the next five years to keep a recruitment cap on medical staff in place.

Sean McGrath, who left National Irish Bank to take up the top HSE job, is getting EUR50,000 MORE than the recommended salary for the job.

And it will be his task to prevent employment levels in the health service climbing above 112,245 this year. The administrators recruitment drive puts the HSE on a collision course with Taoiseach- elect Brian Cowen, who yesterday promised to SLASH the number of admin staff through a voluntary redundancy programme.

Despite the freeze on new staff, the HSE is still looking to hire more highly-paid administrators and spin doctors.

This week, the HSE's own recruitment website, www.careersinhealth.ie posted ads for only five nurses for the whole country - and two of them are for temps.

But the HSE is also looking for EIGHT new administrators to join the hordes of pen-pushers already employed, including two more communications officers to add to the HSE's army of spin doctors.

And four of the administrator vacancies attract a salary of up to EUR80,787-a-year, more than three times a staff nurse's wage, as Grade VIII health managers.

In total, the wages bill for all of the HSE administrators has increased by nearly EUR100million in the past three years.

In 2005, the HSE's administrators received a massive EUR492million in pay. But last year, the 18,000 managers and administrators received EUR587-million in salaries.

The HSE has promised to cut 1,000 admin jobs, in order to save EUR75million.

But with EUR250,000 going on Sean McGrath's salary and bonuses, and up to another EUR320,000 allocated for four more top administrators last week alone, it could be some time before the HSE manages to cuts its mammoth pay bill.

Because of the recruitment freeze on frontline staff, a number of hospitals are currently severely understaffed.

The union Impact, which represents 28,000 health sector workers, is now balloting members over taking industrial action against the recruitment freeze.

Impact's Bernard Harbor said: "This ballot is happening now. The deadline for voting is the 25th of April, and the result will be announced on the 28th.

"If, as expected, the members vote to strike over the recruitment cap, then we will give notice of industrial action to the HSE. So it is likely to be mid-May before any action begins."

The INO claims 30 nurses are needed in Limerick hospital alone and Ennis hospital, where 15 patients died in an outbreak of a hospital acquired infection last year, requires at least 23 new nurses.

Last week the HSE trumpeted the recruitment of 120 new hospital consultants.

But hidden in the small print, it emerged that the HSE is only seeking 39 hospital doctors immediately, while the other posts may not be advertised until 2010.

And the Irish Medical Organisation, which represents doctors, has so far failed to come to an agreement with the HSE over a new consultants' contract.

That means that even when these posts are advertised, very few doctors are likely to apply for them until the contract is negotiated.

EMERGENCY CLEAN-UP

MANAGEMENT at Our Lady's Hospital in Drogheda ordered a clean up of the casualty department after the Irish Sunday Mirror's shock expose revealed it was the worst in the country last week.

An undercover investigation found blood stains on doors, urine in puddles in the toilet, and the waiting room covered in litter.

But this week, when we returned, it was evident the sinks, toilets and waiting-room had been treated to a long-overdue mopping with bleach.

Even the chairs in the waiting room had been given a wipe, and there was not a scrap of litter to be seen.

Patients waiting to be treated commented on last week's expose, and paid tribute for forcing the hospital to address the A & E department's hygiene problems.

Our Lady's may no longer be Ireland's dirtiest casualty department.

Let's hope it stays clean, at least until the much-promised new EUR11million A & E department opens.

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