New HSE staffing policies in place following report into Aoife Johnston's death, committee told

The late Aoife Johnston from Co Clare died on December 19, 2022, after suffering from meningitis-related sepsis and was left for more than 16 hours without antibiotics — a vital treatment to help save her life. File picture: David Raleigh

The report into the death of Limerick teenager Aoife Johnston has led to changes in how the HSE staffs new beds and new units, CEO Bernard Gloster said on Wednesday.

Mr Gloster was making his final appearance before the Oireachtas health committee before he retires next month. He defended progress on tackling waiting lists and reducing overcrowding during discussions on the service plan for this year.

Committee chair Pádraig Rice asked how many of the 297 beds promised for last year are still outstanding.

Some 240 beds have been built, but only 198 are in use so far, according to national director for planning Patrick Lynch. However, Mr Gloster added recruitment has started for the unopened beds.

“It’s based on the Frank Clarke recommendation in Limerick that we staff the beds before the builders finish. We’re moving to that model now,” he said.

Former Chief Justice Frank Clarke published a critical report on Ms Johnston’s death in September 2024.

Each HSE region now has an individual staffing allocation. The CEO said each is now required to staff and open any funded buildings. He is to meet region officials next week with health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

Ahead of that, he told TD for Galway-Roscommon Martin Daly he has sent a team to the West for a three-day reporting visit. 

Mr Gloster pledged “five new surgical hubs will become operational and two more will commence development, design". 

Hospitals in Cork, Limerick, and Waterford are among those set to be supported by surgical hubs. These had been expected to open in 2024.

'Interminable delays'

Mr Gloster also acknowledged the “significant challenge” for people left waiting on beds after being admitted to hospitals in crisis.

He said, however, despite “an unprecedented growth in emergency department attendances” last month, “some improvements” were seen.

He also accepted what he called “interminable delays” in opening a group of seven nursing homes under a public-private partnership.

“They were too slow coming on, in the [public-private partnership] model. They’re now coming on and we need to get them open,” he said.

These homes — including in Cork, Kerry, and Tipperary — were expected to be complete in 2024.

At national level, Mr Gloster said the waiting list situation is in “a very strong position compared to the position of a short few years ago". 

“To understand the volume of this, the end of December last year saw 1.928m patients added and 1.848m patients removed from these lists,” he said. 

In general, outpatients can expect more evening and weekend appointments this year.

The HSE expects a 36% rise in mammograms and 18% rise in cervical screening. It expects a 19% rise in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) appointments.

However, while he predicted a rise in numbers taking up GP visit cards, his colleague Pat Healy acknowledged a much lower uptake than expected so far. He indicated it could be as few as 50,000 or 60,000 people, although about 430,000 are eligible.

• Niamh Griffin is the Health Correspondent with the Irish Examiner.