HSE Midwest 'in crisis position like never before' - Kelly
Deputy Kelly says the HSE Midwest is in crisis
Following a briefing by HSE Midwest to Oireachtas members this week, North Tipperary Labour's Deputy, Alan Kelly said the HSE faces a crisis in the Midwest region.
"It was the most depressing meeting I’ve ever had with the HSE in 20 years as a public representative,” Deputy Kelly said on Tuesday.
“In fairness to the HSE regional officials they were saying it out straight, that they are not being supported and we are facing into an unprecedented crisis over the winter months especially if we have a major flu outbreak. Possibly the biggest crisis ever.
"The fact is that it is not sustainable for University Hospital Limerick and the Midwest in general to continue to operate like it does.
“Our region is moving into a dangerous situation when it comes to healthcare. The officials in the Midwest are calling for help from public representatives and I along with others must heed this call,” Deputy Kelly said.
Deputy Kelly said the information they received is that UHL are seeing record levels of admissions to A&E which is creating huge risks on a daily basis.
He said elective procedures across the Midwest “will undoubtedly be cancelled over the coming months thereby causing more issues for these patient down the line”.
Deputy Kelly added that hundreds of critical posts remain unfulfilled across the region.
“This is despite the region being one of the best from a budgetary perspective within the HSE. The failure to fill critical posts is creating governance issues across the Midwest and this is deeply worrying.
“Attrition of staff is currently outstripping recruitment which is damning given it has been constantly shown for decades that the Midwest has for decades been discriminated against when it came to allocation of resources,” he said.
“The Mid West Health Planning Board hasn’t even decided that the MidWest even needs another hospital and it has no role whatsoever in helping at an interim level with the crisis in the MidWest. This is quite shocking.
“The second new 95 bed block in UHL won’t be open until 2030 and it will only have net 46 new beds as they have to close nightingale wards in the hospital.
"I’m calling now on the Minister for Health to hold a crisis meeting with the HSE to address this. We need one plan for the coming Winter, a second plan for the next 3-5 years and then a long term plan.
“It seems the Mid West Health Planning Board isn’t functioning as expected or has a clear mandate that we all understand.
"This is potentially a very dangerous situation. Minister Carroll MacNeill needs to intervene now. She should meet with Oireachtas members in the MidWest regularly to update us on her plans."