GPs and other community health care workers are to be contacted in the coming weeks to help find ways to shave a further 10 million euro off Cork University Hospital’s budget.
Management at the Cork hospital were told by the HSE last week that because they had over spent, they would have to come up with the 10 million shortfall. The overall annual budget for the hospital is 250 million.
As well as internal measures, hospital bosses are also looking to the community to find ways to come up with the savings.
“In the coming weeks we will be contacting GPs and other community health care workers to explore ways to find savings,” said Professor Richard Greene, clinical director of CUH and CUMH (Cork University Maternity Hospital).
“We’re very close to the bone where funding is concerned.
“There is not a lot of fat left to take off. But we know we have to meet our budgets,” added Professor Greene, who also warned that further cutbacks will have an affect on waiting lists.
“Further reductions will affect patients. We have to find this 10 million and so these measures will result in an increase in waiting lists. As a result of further cutbacks elective patients will be worst affected.”
Elective patients are those with planned surgery or procedures.
Emergency and cancer patients will get priority.