HSE finds no 'structured system' to monitor phasing out of private consultants in public hospitals
There is no structured system at either the national or regional level to monitor the phased elimination of consultants who carry out private practice in public hospitals, according to the findings of an HSE audit.
A report by HSE internal auditors also revealed that the introduction of public-only contracts has not had a significant impact on the number of consultants available to work on evenings and at weekends.
“This increases the risks of failure to achieve the benefits of the contract and failure to achieve value for money,” the audit observed.
It found that only 12 per cent of consultants on public-only contracts worked on weekday evenings in February 2025 and only 11 per cent on Saturdays – a similar level to consultants on other types of contracts.
The audit revealed varying levels of consultants working across HSE areas, with consultants on public-only contracts, ranging from 5 per cent in the Dublin and North-East region to 72 per cent in the Mid-West...
We've summarized this news for a quick read. If you're interested, you can read the full article here:
