As the HSE continues to run a significant budget deficit of €259m and with an allocated budget of €13.2bn for 2012, a range of additional cost reduction measures have been announced which amount to a total of €130m along with other non-operational measures such as cash acceleration of receipts from health insurers and the transfer of surplus money within the health group of votes such as the NTPF.

€37m of the total will be funded through cash and stock management initiatives; 26.5m through savings in medical equipment; €35m through reductions in the usage of agency and overtime; €6m savings on reimbursements for certain products; €10.8m through the reduction of Home Help hours; €1.7m through the reduction of 200 Home Care Packages per month; €10.0m through the reduction of Personal Assistant hours; and €2m through savings in the procurement of medical equipment.

According to the HSE, implementation plans will now be devised to give effect to these measures, many of which are already underway.