A Prospect specialists’ union report, HSE under pressure: a perfect storm, shows the number of mandatory HSE investigations not carried out because of resourcing issues increased nearly 200-fold between 2016-17 and 2021-22. The union says years of underfunding, overwork and underpay are to blame. The report is based on the HSE’s own figures and shows that just two mandatory inspections were cancelled in 2016-17, but by 2021-22, the number had increased to 389. Prospect says that “this is indicative of an overall reduction in capacity which is a direct result of a decade of reduced funding affecting recruitment, pay and morale”.