Cancellations in five Mid-West hospitals could last 'weeks', HSE chief admits

HSE CEO Bernard Gloster defended University Hospital Limerick’s record on elective care, saying waiting lists for elective or scheduled care dropped sharply last year. Picture: Arthur Ellis

Cancellations across five hospitals including University Hospital Limerick could last “weeks” the HSE CEO Bernard Gloster has admitted as concerns grow across the region.

He was “shocked and horrified” at the high numbers of patients he saw waiting for crisis care in UHL this week, he said on Friday.

The hospital has seen extremely high numbers of patients coming to the emergency department (ED) this week including 92 patients on Friday, figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show.

In reaction to the overcrowding, the hospital group on Wednesday announced many surgeries and appointments are on hold across hospitals in Ennis and Nenagh as well as St John’s and UHL in Limerick and the Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.

Mr Gloster said this decision was taken on the advice of a three-person specialist team which has been working with UHL.

“They provided insight and part of that insight was that at a particular point in the summer it would be important to consider an intervention for a period of time that would allow the hospital to de-escalate,” he said.

He said this “means the hospital is completely overheated” and there is a backlog of care. These appointments, it is understood, could be anything from planned surgery to out-patient appointments for assessment.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

He defended the hospital’s record on elective care, saying waiting lists for elective or scheduled care dropped sharply last year.

Speaking to RTÉ's News At One, Mr Gloster was unable to give a definitive date for when these restrictions will be lifted.

“I would like to think it will be in the category of weeks,” he said, saying they hope it will be for the shortest time possible.

He added he was in UHL on Wednesday, and said: “Despite my long-standing knowledge of Limerick, I was absolutely shocked and horrified at the amount of patients literally waiting to be cared for and be provided with a reasonable level of care.” 

Among those waiting were people placed temporarily on what are now called ‘surge beds’ including in the medical assessment unit. This meant it was not available for its usual category of patients, he said.

“I could not stand over that situation,” he said. “My regional executive officer decided she was going to use the benefit of the support team’s recommendation now. I fully endorse that.” 

He pointed out a list of exemptions also published by UHL were agreed on by local clinical teams.

Mr Gloster also hit back at criticism of the decision by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, saying everyone is responsible for what is happening there. He said he hopes to publish the report from the specialist support team “ in the last week of August”.

Bernard Gloster also said a further review, by former Justice Frank Clarke into the death of teenager Aoife Johnston (pictured) in UHL in 2022, remains under assessment. File picture: Brendan Gleeson

A further review, by former Justice Frank Clarke into the death of teenager Aoife Johnston in UHL in 2022, remains under assessment, he also said.

He has received this but discussions continue, including with Ms Johnston’s family.

“Subject to my consideration of the views of Aoife’s family and some other steps I have to take, my aim would be to publish the report as early as possible and hopefully within September,” he said.