Allen urges inquiry into idle A&E unit

AN INQUIRY is being called for into why the new A&E unit at Mercy University Hospital Cork will not open until next March, despite having been completed 14 months ago.

Pat Madden, the hospital’s chief executive admitted yesterday the reason it had not opened was due to staffing issues.

“We are looking for approval for 25 staff over and above our agreed complement, which is why we are involved in negotiations with the HSE,” said Mr Madden.

The hospital is seeking approval for a number of staff, including senior nurses who can deal with minor injuries, freeing up doctors for more serious cases.

“As soon we get the go-ahead for these staff we have to allow time for the recruitment process and training of specialist staff which is why it is running on until March,” said Mr Madden.

The hospital’s existing A&E was named as one of the seven worst in the country in an emergency task force report.

It has space for six trolleys and has only one resuscitation room. The replacement unit, which remains idle, has 10 major injury and three minor injury trolley bays, two resuscitation rooms, a psychiatric assessment room and will provide round-the-clock paediatric treatment.

Fine Gael TD Bernard Allen, said it was “disgusting” that patients were lying for long hours on trolleys while a modern facility lies idle due to staffing issues.

“This is appalling news and I will be calling for an independent inquiry into mismanagement of resources by the Minister for Health,” said Mr Allen.

Meanwhile, a row broke out yesterday after a junior minister said he had been informed interviews would take place shortly for radiographers to operate a CT scanner at Mallow General Hospital.

The potentially life-saving scanner has been lying idle for more than a year because nobody has been appointed to operate it.

Junior minister Batt O’Keeffe said he’d beeninformed by a senior HSE official that interviews for the vacant posts would be held on November 19. A number of HSE South members were not made aware of this by officials.

Cllr Liam O’Doherty, chairman of the HSE South, said his members were extremely disappointed about the flow of information from HSE officials. He said that while he welcomed the move, he was concerned the embargo on staff recruitment might not be lifted until at least next January, leaving the machine idle for another few months.

Sean Sherlock TD said that in December 2006 a senior HSE official had written to the hospital. stating that recruitment was due to commence then.

“Mallow Hospital Action Group was not made aware of this. Until I see somebody working the machine I won’t believe it,” said Mr Sherlock.