A PLANNED reduction in the number of acute beds and a reduction in hospital admissions across the State has been forwarded by the Health Service Executive to Minister for Health Mary Harney for approval.
A draft service plan which would have seen the closure of 1,100 acute beds was discussed by the HSE board yesterday.
A HSE spokeswoman confirmed that the service plan had subsequently been sent to Ms Harney, but she declined to say whether the plan had been modified.
She said the HSE was not prepared to “speculate on figures” until the service plan was finalised.
In a radio interview yesterday, HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm confirmed that a reduction in acute beds and in the number of people being admitted to hospital was included in the 2010 service plan.
Speaking on the RTÉ Radio 1 News at One programme, he said that previous acute bed closures and reductions in hospital admissions had led to increased productivity and reduced spending.
“What I will absolutely guarantee you is that we will not be reducing services. What we are doing is that we are saying that people deserve a better service system and they’re getting it,” he said.
Prof Drumm also discussed the potential impact of industrial action that is planned to begin on January 25th.
Although he recognised that staff had been impacted by pay cuts, the pension levy and wider economic circumstances, he hoped that, whatever action took place, would not affect patients.
“If we don’t continue to change then the people who suffer are those that we are here to serve . . . I have to now work with the unions and indeed with the people who work with us to recognise that yes, they have been put in a very challenging position, but ultimately we have to continue with the changes on the basis that everybody who works in health knows this the right track to go,” he said.
“In situations like that we clearly have to prioritise patient care . . . if the care we’re giving the patients is being undermined then we will have to deal with that in a disciplinary way,” he added.
Prof Drumm added that the HSE expected that other unions would also announce industrial action. It is anticipated that the INO will also serve notice of industrial action in days to come.
It is not yet known to what extent hospital admissions are to be reduced this year. It is understood a reduction by 54,000 had been discussed but this figure has now been revised downwards.
Trade union Impact has written to its members within the HSE instructing them to refuse to co-operate with certain work practices.