‘Chronic under-staffing’ in heart services

Life-saving services for children with congenital heart problems are suffering "significant" staff shortages and capacity issues, and must be beefed up "without delay" as they "cannot supply optimum support" to patients.

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.