HSE CHAIRMAN LASHES COST OF CHEF IN HOSPITAL FACILITY WITH NO KITCHED

Date Published: 05-Jan-2013

THE Chairman of the HSE West says he has been concerned "for months" regarding the costs of hiring a chef at a children's mental health unit at Merlin Park Hospital which has no facilities for cooking hot food.

But the health agency denied the only role of the chef, who is paid 46,000 Euro annually, is to serve food. The HSE states that he also keeps daily food records, takes daily orders for food and maintains 3 kitchenettes at the facility

But according to an investigation carried out by "The Irish Independent" the HSE West paid 155,000 Euro over the past two years for hot meals to be supplied to the unit.

Even though the HSE cut the cost for supplying the hot food, by more than 50 per cent last year, the Chairman of the HSE West Cllr Padraic Conneely says it is still an unacceptable situation.

Cllr Conneely says he will be meeting with officials in the coming weeks to demand changes to the situation.