HSE launch support team to 'deal with pressures on services' at UHL

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly and the Chief Executive of the HSE, Bernard Gloster have announced a support team to address the current pressures on health services in the Mid West region.

It's to be made up of Ms Grace Rothwell, National Director; Ms. Orla Kavanagh Director of Nursing & Integration at Waterford University Hospital and retired Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Fergal Hickey.

Minister Donnelly said he was "concerned about the ongoing pressures on health services in the region, which are seen particularly in the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick".

"We need to provide re-assurance to the people of the Mid West region and address the very serious pressures on the services."

Read More: Almost 2,000 patients left on trolleys at UHL during April

The team will begin work immediately and over the next four weeks to help devise a number of actions designed in particular to ease overcrowding and pressures in the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick.

"While a number of interventions have been made, I have spoken to the Chief Executive of the need to address this situation immediately. The support team should deliver an improvement for patients quickly," Mr Donnelly added.

The HSE is "conscious of the pressures in various hospitals regarding the number of patients on trolleys awaiting admission", according to chief executive Bernard Gloster, adding that while challenged in a small number of sites the HSE are "particularly so in Limerick at this time".

"This is recognised by the HSE as a key safety concern. Patient flow involves the whole of the Health Service and we are using our own internal mechanisms to support the Mid West Region for the next number of weeks," Mr Gloster continued.

Responding to the announcement, a spokesperson for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said that "any measures to alleviate the pressure on nurses and midwives in the Mid West region is to be welcomed."

The INMO said they are looking forward to meeting this team at the first available opportunity "to give our perspective and views on what can and should be implemented in the Mid West". 

“As stated previously by the INMO, the only measure of success for patients in the Mid West will be permanently reducing the number of patients on trolleys," the spokesperson continued.

“The provision of safe and timely care must be the priority for this team."