Private hospitals cry foul over surge capacity fees

Legal action has been threatened after the HSE said certain beds made available to cater for Covid-19 patients would not be paid for

Under the Safety Net 2 deal between the HSE and private hospitals, the HSE is contracted to pay a fee for 30 per cent of bed capacity in participating hospitals during a Covid-19 surge event, regardless of whether those beds are used

A row has broken out between the HSE and private hospitals over the terms of the contract agreed to facilitate surge capacity of Covid-19 cases.

The HSE has told private hospitals it will not pay for beds made available as part of the deal in certain instances, leading some to threaten legal action.

It comes as the HSE has begun to release certain hospitals from the contract as Covid-19 hospitalisation numbers continue to fall.

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