IHCA warns of impact of HSE abolition of insourcing

The IHCA is seeking “urgent clarity” on how the abolition of insourcing in the HSE will impact patient capacity.

The Association called on the Minister for Health and the HSE to outline what replacement capacity will be provided and set a “clear timeline for delivery”.

In a statement the Association noted that insourcing has now ended across all HSE regions. Citing a report in today’s Irish Times, the IHCA noted that an internal HSE report warned that the abolition of insourcing could create a “significant risk of unintended harm to patients”. The confidential HSE report examined the impact on the HSE West and North West region.

The IHCA said that while this report relates to only one region, insourcing was used across the country and has now ended nationally.

“Insourcing was helping patients,” said IHCA President Professor Gabrielle Colleran.  

“That is the starting point for this conversation and a fact that has been almost entirely lost in the political and media debate of recent months. Consultants were coming in on their own time, outside contracted hours, to see patients who had already been waiting too long for care.”

She noted that the HSE’s “own internal report warned in writing that ending insourcing without replacement capacity would create a significant risk of unintended harm to patients”.

“The question patients now need answered is simple: what is the plan? What replaces this capacity, and by when?”

According to the IHCA President, Ireland continues to have too few consultants and insufficient protected capacity across outpatient clinics, diagnostics and operating theatres.

“We also continue to face inadequate investment in hospital infrastructure. Until these underlying issues are addressed, patients will continue to experience unacceptable delays, regardless of which short-term initiatives are introduced or withdrawn.”