If hospitals have their own independent HR departments, how come it is the government who is negotiating with e.g. nurses, consultants etc. on issues like pay and conditions? If these hospitals had genuine HR departments, then they would set their own pay rates and negotiate with their own staff. I think you've just identified a bunch of people who are drawing a salary from the state, but do no meaningful work
Tendering isnt a panacea? - I think you've got what is called "we're special" syndrome. Normal rules do not apply to your area
If tendering isnt the solution, then how come more than 50% of the working population in Ireland tender on an individual basis to procure their own private or semi-private health insurance? These people are putting more faith in the procurement of their own health care as opposed to relying on the HSE. Services that are directly paid for get delivered. There is absolutely no comparison in the level of care and outcome between privately procured medical treatment, even for the most difficult cases, and public treatment.
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Try telling this to the patients who have to go without operations between now and the end of the year because certain HSE funded hospitals have run out of money. Who's putting the accountants ahead of the best interests of the patient?