The Government has been accused of trying to spin the HSE’s funding crisis by “massaging” official figures, after it emerged that the Department of Health ordered senior managers to keep a €198m debt off its books last year. The PAC has demanded that the department and HSE produce answers at an emergency meeting next week after the issue was highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General. It had been expected that the extra €198m would be included in the HSE’s final accounts for 2018 in accordance with international accountancy best practice, which would have increased the HSE’s debt last year to just over €280m. Criticising the situation yesterday, he said the figures show there has been an attempt to “whitewash” the HSE’s debt, adding that the “massaging” of figures is a worrying precedent for the health service. The PAC has asked the department and HSE to attend an emergency meeting on the issue next Thursday.

Source: Irish Examiner June 14, 2019 05:03 UTC