End-of-life care for terminally ill in Waterford hit by staff shortages

Sinn Féin health spokesman and Waterford TD David Culliane said there needs to be "absolute coordination" between hospital and regional HSE management to provide the service

According to the HSE, palliative care can be provided "at any stage" in a person's illness and doesn't have to be at the end of a person's life.

A number of terminally ill patients cannot receive end of life care from the HSE in Waterford due to a "staffing crisis", according to leaked correspondence.

The crisis is affecting palliative care provided to people who wish to die at home, with a number of staff having been ruled out due to coronavirus and other illnesses, causing the staff shortage in palliative community care staff.