Private Patients, Public Doctors | Cork News

Cork News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 1, 2026 · 1m

Rotunda Hospital exposed a controversial practice where public-contract consultants delivered 49 private babies over three years when private doctors were unavailable, receiving up to €1,500 payments — now halted and handled outside payroll. Legal costs were funded via theater leases, while Cork University Maternity Hospital ended a similar arrangement. The hospital’s CEO stressed public-only contracts aren’t sufficient alone to fix Ireland’s obstetrician shortage, as the HSE remains committed to the model — though a new maternity strategy won’t arrive before 2026. Listen in comfort:Get a…