New HSE data shows huge 36% rise in productivity at UHL since 2019

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick (UHL) has seen the highest productivity increase since before Covid-19, according to a new analysis of HSE data.

The data shows that UHL was the hospital with the most productivity change between 2019 and 2024, up 36% – although the boost followed some of the highest levels of increased investment.

The Department of Health has launched a new dashboard which examines productivity improvements compared to increases in expenditure and staffing.

Officials have designed a “composite activity output” which is a high-level illustration of aggregated, cumulative activity in each hospital setting and is based on the costs of delivering inpatient, day case, outpatient and ED care.

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It can be used to distil years-long increases in productivity across different types of care into a single figure to allow for comparisons against workforce and expenditure increases. Officials said it showed that some hospitals are “notably better” at converting their input into activity.

Sandra Broderick, Regional Executive Officer, HSE Mid-West, said: “Today's publication of the productivity data is important to support staff across HSE Mid-West, I want to commend all staff for their commitment and professionalism which has delivered meaningful improvements in patient care.

“These results are a credit to the remarkable people working in our hospitals.” Ms Broderick added: “The work of the Productivity and Savings Taskforce and the greater transparency around performance data will motivate us to seek further efficiencies and make the best use of resources allocated to us for the people of the Mid-West. We remain committed to supporting our staff.”