UHK paid almost €600,000 to senior doctors who were unable to take time off owed to them between 2014 and last year.
The figures released to the Irish Medical Times under a Freedom of Information request also show that for 2023 alone, University Hospital Kerry paid less than €50,000 to consultants when they couldn't take time off in lieu of work carried out during on-call periods.
Of 22 hospitals nationwide, University Hospital Kerry had the ninth lowest bill for this type of payment which is given to consultants when they can’t take time off under these circumstances.
Between 2014 and 2023, UHK issued payments of €583,637; in contract Wexford General, which paid out the most to consultants who couldn’t take time off owed to them, paid out over €5.5 million during the same time.
