The HSE could make huge savings if it streamlined payments made to priests providing chaplaincy services across its acute hospital network in the West.
The suggestion came from HSE West Forum member Cllr Brian Meaney after HSE figures revealed huge disparity in what its pays its chaplains.
A Freedom of Information request showed the executive paid over €1m last year and a further €1m in 2010 to priests and others providing chaplaincy and pastoral services in its acute hospital and community care network, stretching from Donegal to Limerick.
However, the payments are subject to local agreements.
A Freedom of Information request showed the executive paid over €1m last year and a further €1m in 2010 to priests and others providing chaplaincy and pastoral services in its acute hospital and community care network, stretching from Donegal to Limerick.
However, the payments are subject to local agreements.
Figures show that the 103-bed HSE-funded St John’s Hospital in Limerick last year paid €179,489 for pastoral care and chaplaincy services.
The chaplaincy spend was €195,617 at the 435-bed Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Separate figures for the 997-bed Galway University Hospital, made up of the Galway Regional Hospital and Merlin Park Hospital, show that its spend on chaplaincy services for the first 10 months of last year was €203,387 and this followed a €277,521 spend in 2010.
The annual spend per bed at St John’s on chaplaincy and pastoral services was €1,746 in 2011 compared to €449 per bed at the Mid-West Regional Hospital and a spend of €278 per bed at the Galway University Hospital.
Chaplaincy services at the 80-bed Ennis General Hospital cost €9,986 last year — amounting to €124 per bed per annum.
Cllr Meaney questioned the different spends. "You only have to look at the disparity between the spend on St John’s Hospital in Limerick, the major regional hospitals in Limerick and Galway and the spend at Ennis General to see that the service provided is in need of streamlining," he said.
The chaplaincy spend was €195,617 at the 435-bed Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Separate figures for the 997-bed Galway University Hospital, made up of the Galway Regional Hospital and Merlin Park Hospital, show that its spend on chaplaincy services for the first 10 months of last year was €203,387 and this followed a €277,521 spend in 2010.
The annual spend per bed at St John’s on chaplaincy and pastoral services was €1,746 in 2011 compared to €449 per bed at the Mid-West Regional Hospital and a spend of €278 per bed at the Galway University Hospital.
Chaplaincy services at the 80-bed Ennis General Hospital cost €9,986 last year — amounting to €124 per bed per annum.
Cllr Meaney questioned the different spends. "You only have to look at the disparity between the spend on St John’s Hospital in Limerick, the major regional hospitals in Limerick and Galway and the spend at Ennis General to see that the service provided is in need of streamlining," he said.