Cork University Hospital faces consultant recruitment embargo

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) is calling on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to immediately lift an embargo on the recruitment of 24 consultant posts at Cork University Hospital (CUH). The IHCA expressed full support for CUH CEO Jennifer Kearney, who has requested a derogation from current employment restrictions to ensure safe patient care during the winter months.

CUH has identified a need for at least 172 priority posts, 24 of which are consultant positions across various specialties, including cardiology, anaesthesiology, general surgery, and paediatric neurology. The IHCA noted that many candidates had already accepted these roles months ago but have been unable to receive formal contracts due to the national HSE impasse.

The staffing shortage has already impacted services; for instance, a planned review of 30 complex pediatric cases by a consultant from Belfast was cancelled because the temporary solution was not approved by the HSE. The current paediatric neurology service, managed by a single consultant on a part-time basis, has been described as unsustainable.