NO CUTS TO GALWAY HOSPITAL BUDGETS IN NEW ARRANGEMENT

Date Published: 09-Dec-2011

The Health Minister James Reilly says there will be no cuts to budgets after the decision to put new management arrangements in place for two hospital groups.

Under the new arrangement Galway University Hospital will be grouped with Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe and Roscommon general hospital.

Bill Maher, who is currently acting chief of St Vincents hospital in Dublin, will take over as chief executive of this group from January.

Meanwhile the Mid Western Regional Hospitals at Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh, together with the Orthopaedic Hospital at Croom and St John’s Hospital Limerick will work together.

Minister Reilly says there will be no cuts to budgets as a result of this decision – but he says smaller procedures will be carried out at smaller hospitals.

Minister of Health James Reilly announced over two months ago that a private management company was to be hired to appoint senior management at GUH.

However, Galway Deputy Brian Walsh says this plan was scrapped because of the costs involved.