Cork Hospitals Witness Staff Reduction Despite Embargo Lift
Cork hospitals saw a decrease in staff numbers between August and September, despite the lifting of the recruitment embargo in July. According to figures released by the HSE, Cork hospitals lost 50 staff members overall, with Cork University Hospital (CUH) experiencing the biggest drop.
### CUH Staff Numbers Decline
CUH saw a reduction of 49 staff members, going from 5,347 in August to 5,298 in September. While the recruitment embargo was lifted in July, CUH’s staff numbers still saw a decline. Nursing and midwifery staff experienced the most significant decrease, with 29 fewer staff members.
### Other Cork Hospitals
Other Cork hospitals saw varied changes in staffing levels. Bantry Hospital saw a slight decrease, dropping from 331 staff members to 325. Meanwhile, Mercy Hospital saw an increase, rising from 1,499 to 1,504 staff members. Mallow General Hospital and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) remained steady, with 353 and 963 staff respectively.
### Community Healthcare Sector Reduction
Staff numbers across Cork/Kerry Community Healthcare settings also declined. Headcounts fell from 9,254 in July to 9,151 in September, reflecting losses in healthcare assistants, home helps, staff nurses and midwives, public health nurses, speech and language therapists, and social care professionals.
### Overall Impact
These staff reductions, following minimal increases immediately after the embargo lift, mean that Cork hospitals currently have 12 fewer staff compared to pre-embargo levels.
This trend raises concerns about ongoing staffing challenges in the region’s healthcare system.
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