Savings of £31 million could be achieved at the Royal Hospital in Belfast were it run as efficiently as hospitals in England, an independent report has claimed.
Released yesterday, the report blames inefficient provision of maternity services, and calls for a reduction in the number of unused beds, cancelled operations and sickness leave.
The department of health review makes a string of recommendations calling for more efficient management at the North's main hospital complex while recognising improvements have been made.
The report says 1,012 extra operations could take place if the level of cancellations was reduced to the UK national health service's 0.8 per cent target.
