Patients sedated due to low staffing levels
Mr Moloney also expressed concern about the long-term consequences of certain addictive drugs being given to patients and accepted they played an increasing role in poisoning deaths.
Mr Moloney also called on the VHI to postpone its price increases until legislation on community rating is ready.
Asked if it was true that lack of staff had led to “troublesome” patients being sedated, Mr Moloney indicated the staff recruitment moratorium was partly to blame.
“Yeah... I read that... and I saw where maybe it had been offered, that the use of these drugs was by way of defective staffing levels being reduced.
“Yes there are difficulties by way of staffing levels and this would be by way of the moratorium,” he told RTÉ.
Mr Moloney said he was drawing up measures to tighten prescription rules regarding drugs like benzodiazepines.
“I’m opposed to the whole notion of using them long term. I’ve been moving on protocols on how and when we should use them,” he said.
Mr Moloney agreed the drugs had been cited as a factor in an increasing number of poisoning deaths.
Alarm about the widespread use of sedatives in psychiatric hospitals has been raised by mental health experts, who called for an urgent review of the situation.
The Inspector of Mental Health Services recorded that in some hospitals as many as 80% of long-term patients were being prescribed sedatives, also known as benzodiazepines. These are prescription drugs used to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, insomnia and seizures.
Though thought to be safe for short-term use, the risk of overuse, abuse and dependence has been well documented in medical reviews.
On the huge VHI price rises announced last week, Mr Moloney denied the Government had taken its eye off the ball, but he admitted “shock” at the move.
“The VHI cost increase of 45% last week came as a startling shock to everybody,” he said, adding that he would be meeting with the insurer to discuss the matter.
However, the minister said he had no idea how much more taxpayers’ money would have to be pumped into the VHI ahead of its sell-off, as some estimates have warned it could cost the Exchequer another €200m-€300m.
“I’m not too sure how much money is needed,” Mr Moloney said.
The minister also admitted failings in providing services for vulnerable children, particularly those with mental health issues, but claimed the situation was improving.
“There’s no point pretending all in the garden is rosy,” he said.
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