‘Chronic under-staffing’ in heart services
An international report into how to revamp the vital sector, which was released just hours before yesterday’s budget, has recommended that services on both sides of the border should merge within 18 months to provide a better service to children in need.
However, it has stressed that before this occurs the Department of Health must ensure serious staff shortages and capacity problems at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin — which will be the main centre under the reforms — are addressed.
According to the report, which can be read at irishexaminer.com, 30 elective surgeries for children with congenital heart problems have had to be cancelled at Crumlin.
The document said the hospital’s intensive care unit must be expanded to include “a minimum” of 10 “fully staffed” beds dedicated to cardiac care if this situation is not to be repeated.
The report said there is a “chronic under-staffing” at Crumlin, with the hospital struggling admirably with five consultant cardiologists when they need 12, and coping with five and six fewer paediatric anaesthetists and intensive care specialists respectively.
Despite plans for a new national children’s hospital, it insisted the reforms “cannot wait” and must take place “without delay”.
The report was drawn up by a team of international experts who were asked by former health ministers on both sides of the Irish border, Dr James Reilly and Edwin Poots, to examine ways to improve care for children with heart problems.
As part of this plan, which has been backed by their replacements Leo Varadkar and Jim Wells, it has recommended that services are merged within 18 months, with a focus services being based in Crumlin.
Under the initiative, which is now set to go out to public consultation, a flow of staff between both jurisdictions will be allowed to ensure children receive the care they need.
A single “governance committee” will be set up to oversee ring-fenced budgets and ensure unspent money is retained by the service instead of being spent elsewhere, while a family advisory group will also be established to allow patient views to be fully heard.
Vitally, the report has also recommended that an extensive database of long-term outcomes and recovery for people with congenital heart problems is set up so that trends in the life-threatening area can be mapped and acted upon.
A total of 400 children undergo congenital heart surgeries in the Republic every year, and 150 in Northern Ireland.
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