HSE fails to act on Mallow hospital issues

A REPORT into the quality and safety of services at Mallow General Hospital found ongoing issues of concern among staff were not addressed by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

It also found an over-reliance at times on the goodwill of senior doctors to provide on-site out-of-hours cover, an arrangement investigators said raised concerns about the long- term sustainability of the existing system of care.

The report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) said in terms of clinical services, Mallow General Hospital had “evolved in isolation” and had been “essentially absent” from the governance structures within the Cork University Hospital Group for a number of years.

HIQA was particularly critical of an “historic arrangement” where scheduled surgery and outpatient services were cancelled during holiday periods for consultant surgeons and a less qualified locum continued to provide emergency surgery.

While the HSE arranged for appropriate cover on foot of receiving a warning letter from HIQA, the health watchdog said it had been a “long-standing concern” among staff at Mallow but “had not registered as a potential risk to patient safety at group or regional levels”.

HIQA was also critical of the fact that at the time of the investigation:

* Experienced out-of-hours on-site clinical cover was not available for four of seven nights at Mallow General Hospital, raising concerns about its ability to safely treat patients presenting with acute illnesses on a 24-hour basis, particularly outside normal working hours.

* The hospital was not formally supported by emergency medicine consultant staff. During Monday to Friday core working hours, the immediate care for patients presenting with suspected acute surgical conditions or injuries was provided by an emergency-care surgical officer and emergency department nursing staff.

* The facilities for anaesthesia and surgery were basic and there was limited space to recover patients following surgery. No significant investment had been made by the CUH Group in improving the facilities.

HIQA made a series of recommendations in relation to Mallow General Hospital. HSE area manager for Cork Ger Reaney said most had already been substantially implemented.

Labour Party TD for Cork East Seán Sherlock said the report showed there was no specific complaint in relation to specific surgical or medical procedures in the hospital, as originally feared.

“This clearly vindicates the medical staff,” said Mr Sherlock.