The Private Hospitals Association (PHA) has today (30 March) reached agreement on the Heads of Terms of an Agreement with the HSE in relation to the provision of public health services in private hospitals as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 19 member hospitals of the PHA are taking “this unprecedented step in the national interest and view the move as a critical contribution in the overall strategic management of the pandemic in Ireland”, according to a statement from the Association.
This action on behalf of private hospitals enables the HSE on a temporary and not-for-profit basis, access to the existing bed capacity, equipment and the services of clinicians and healthcare professionals working in the private hospital system.
The Chairman of the Private Hospitals Association, Dr Josh Keaveny, has described today’s announcement as the right decision in the interests of public health and at a time of national crisis: “PHA members recognised from the outset the unprecedented challenge that the Covid-19 pandemic would present to the country’s acute hospital infrastructure and immediately offered to play their part in the national effort to deal with the expected surge in demand for additional capacity. The Association has worked intensively and in good faith to arrive at today’s agreement and will work in close partnership with the HSE in optimising private and public hospital capacity throughout the country in response to this unprecedented situation during the Covid-19 pandemic period.“
The Private Hospital Association membership in Ireland currently operates in excess of 2500 inpatient and day beds in 19 hospitals employing 8000 highly trained staff.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.