Key staff at Cork University Hospital told not to cooperate with PWC consultants
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Key staff at Cork University Hospital (CUH) have been told by their union not to cooperate with or even attend meetings with PWC consultants, hired to implement a "transformation and improvement" programme at the hospital.
The revealed on Monday that €608,252 was paid to PWC Consultants between October and December in escalating monthly amounts. The arrangement remains in place, running up fees which could exceed €1m.
Hospital CEO David Donegan has insisted PWC staff have not been “asked to or authorised to or expected to” take on line management or operational management duties.
However, Fórsa trade union has written to its members in the hospital telling them: “Most significantly trade unions have been informed that PWC are giving direction to CUH staff and attending operational meetings."
Forsa has advised members to cease interacting with these consultants and not to attend or participate in meetings with them. The letter warned:
Fórsa's head of the health amd welfare division Ashley Connelly said: “That remains the position” to now.
“That is Fórsa’s position, and Fórsa has expressed concerns quite strongly at the continued use of external consultants,” she said. The union represents health and social care professionals, clerical, administrative, management, and technical staff.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has also raised questions about the involvement of the consultants.
General secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: “The fact that one hospital, Cork University Hospital, increased its spend on consultancy firms by 333.8% in the space of one month is shocking.”
She said the INMO will continue to raise this issue with the HSE.
CUH CEO David Donegan previously defended this practice, in a letter to Labour TD Sean Sherlock.
Writing on May 8, he said: “To date, there has not been a single concern raised by a CUH employee with us, about this work, and to the contrary there has been widespread support for it, particularly from our clinical leaders.”
He added: “When PWC are present in meetings, or acting as project managers, they are at all times supporting or advising a HSE employee who has accountability.”
However, unions have already raised the involvement of PWC staff in CUH with HSE national management. The INMO’s Albert Murphy wrote to the HSE's chief operations officer Mary Day, on behalf of the National Joint Council, to say PWC consultants “are giving direction to staff”.
He focused on particular issues with how the arrangement worked over Christmas, concerns which Mr Donegan has rejected.
“It has been brought to the attention of the NJC of trade unions that in the absence of the CEO of Cork University Hospital, Price Waterhouse Coopers Consultants have been appointed to run the hospital and are giving direction to staff,” the union letter stated.
A hospital spokesman said: “Management consultants have no role in the management of the hospital and are not responsible or accountable for the delivery of services.”
Data released to Mr Sherlock shows monies paid to PWC for work with CUH and associated sites under the umbrella of the CUH Group, jumped from €61,500 in October to €266,779 in November, reaching €279,973 in December.
During this time and subsequently patients in Cork have faced long delays in getting a bed. As recently as today, there were 75 patients waiting in CUH according to the INMO's TrolleyWatch, and seven in Bantry.