Claims hospital inquiry ‘sneaky and underhand’

AN investigation into standards of care at Mallow General Hospital has been branded a “sneaky and underhand” campaign to downgrade services at the hospital.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) confirmed it is to conduct an independent inquiry into the hospital and said the terms of reference would be published next week. It is understood the investigation comes following complaints made to HIQA about the hospital.

Last night, however, Labour TD Seán Sherlock said the move was sneaky and underhand and people could see the move for what it really was – an attempt to fulfil government policy to downgrade smaller hospitals. “Every single report into Mallow shows it performs above average on hygiene, bed management and on budgetary issues. Every hospital will have a citation number of complaints but it would appear where small hospitals have complaints made against them they feel the full brunt of the HSE.

“The net effect of this policy will be to make CUH (Cork University Hospital) even more unsafe than it is... CUH will not be able to cope if A&E in Mallow is closed down.”

Mallow town councillor Jerry Mullally, a member of the Mallow General Hospital co-ordinating committee, echoed Mr Sherlock’s sentiments, saying if it was downgraded it would be “very disappointing” as assurances had been given this would not happen.

Mr Mullally said he hoped the investigation would not be used to take vital services away from the hospital. The HSE welcomed HIQA’s announcement and said many of the issues identified had already been addressed.

MGH has not been without its problems, however.

Over the past number of months hundreds of patients treated for conditions ranging from broken bones to cancer have been forced to wait lengthy periods before learning the details of their condition. While X-rays are normally sent back to a referring GP within days, radiology staff shortages have resulted in patients waiting between four and six weeks.

Last year, there was also controversy after it emerged the HSE had paid more than €150,000 to a private hospital to read scans when a €1.5 million CT scanner at MGH lay idle. Mallow is an acute 76-bed hospital situated in north Cork and serves a population of between 85,000 and 90,000 people.