Ex-hospital manager credited with slashing trolley numbers promoted

University Hospital Waterford is regularly highlighted by the HSE and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly for having found solutions to overcrowding. Picture: Denis Minihane

The former manager of University Hospital Waterford (UHW) credited with slashing trolley numbers there is being promoted to HSE national director of acute hospitals.

The hospital is regularly highlighted by the HSE and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly for having found solutions to overcrowding.

Grace Rothwell takes the role on an interim basis while the transition to HSE health regions from hospital groups and community organisations continues.

While trolley numbers complied by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and the HSE can vary, both sets of data show UHW among the lowest, if not the lowest, daily. 

On Tuesday, the INMO's count showed four patients on trolleys in Waterford in comparison to 72 in Cork University Hospital and 99 in University Hospital Limerick.

In December of 2022, Ms Rothwell told the Irish Examiner: “We haven’t had a patient on a trolley waiting for admission since March 2020, we actually hit our 1000th day on Saturday.” 

She was reluctant to identify any one change behind this.

“I will very much say that it is not a one-size-fits-all, but very much in my opinion it is about having somebody in charge, it’s about knowing who is in the house. 

"It is the person in charge, but it is also having everybody on your team," she said. 

Ms Rothwell had recently left UHW to work as chief officer of HSE/South East Community Healthcare.

The HSE is moving to a regional model from March 1, a spokeswoman said, adding the regions will work with existing systems initially. 

“Grace Rothwell has been appointed national director of acute hospitals (interim) to cover the transitionary period to September 2024,” she said.

Grace Rothwell was said to have taken 'a zero tolerance' approach to trolleys.

The outgoing national director, Mary Day, returns to her position as CEO at St James's Hospital.

Sinn Féin health spokesman and Waterford TD David Cullinane welcomed the appointment.

“She’s very very capable and very highly regarded in University Hospital Waterford,” he said, saying she laid the foundation for positive changes.

It was interesting, he said, that she took “a zero tolerance” approach to trolleys.

"Many people believed it couldn’t be done," he said. 

“Notwithstanding all of that, she put in place a zero-tolerance approach, and over a period of time, she was able to achieve it.” 

He expects her "can do attitude" and knowledge of how to add supports or best use hospitals' capacity to be applied across the board.