A maternity hospital could face a €4million budget deficit this year, it has been revealed.
The Coombe in south inner city Dublin ended 2019 with arrears of €576,000 – and that number looks set to jump seven-fold due to funding cuts.
Minutes of the January board meeting showed there’s been a “significant reduction” to the facility’s non-pay allocation this year.
The reductions came about after The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, which is in charge of providing funding, brought in new financial limits last July.
The financial controller said the hospital is in talks with the group about the cuts, according to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
He added the introduction of a Termination of Pregnancy clinic – which saw the Coombe become one of 10 maternity units around the country to offer abortion services – was a financial setback last year.
A High Court pay deal between the hospital and consultants also had an impact, however the DMHG later funded both actions.
The controller added treatment income from private patients had shown a “considerable decline” in the years 2014 to 2019.
