Rise in number of HSE administration staff earning over €100,000

The number of administrators in the HSE earning more than €100,000 has risen in the past year, new figures show.

Against the background of the health authority reducing the number of frontline workers, the executive yesterday confirmed that there was an increase in its top-paid managerial ranks from 121 to 129 during 2012.

According to figures provided by the HSE, the aggregate pay for the top-earning 129 administrative staff this year will total €15.7 million, compared with the €14.6 million paid out last year.

Allowances

The HSE confirmed that at the start of this year, 116 staff earned between €100,000 and €150,000 compared with 109 in the same earning bracket at the start of 2012 – an increase of seven.

The health authority said the number of staff earning between €150,000 and €200,000 increased by one to 11 in 2012.

The figures show that two employees earning more than €200,000 shared €453,880 in gross pay last year.

The gross pay for all of the 129 staff includes basic pay and allowances, as well as pay for overtime, being on call and working unsocial hours.

In a statement, the HSE yesterday attributed the increase in the number of employees in administrative roles earning more than €100,000 "as a result of a reconfiguration of the management structure as part of the health reform process".

Job losses

The increase contrasts with the loss of 1,265 nursing jobs and 472 general support staff in the HSE last year.

According to the HSE’s 2012 annual report, the numbers of job losses last year totalled 2,886, including 257 in management and administration.

The 127 administrative staff earning between €100,000 and €200,000 make up a small portion of the 2,114 staff whose earnings were within that bracket last year. Most of the 2,114 are consultant doctors.

Assistant general secretary of Impact Andy Pike said: “There will be frustration from frontline staff to learn that the HSE is taking on more staff earning more than €100,000.”