HSE defends delay in solving Limerick and Cork hospital chaos

National support team working with University Hospital Limerick since summer has recently started supporting Cork and Galway university hospitals

Limerick and Cork university hospitals were among those highlighted by Hiqa this week as facing significant pressures, with waiting times of 80 to 90 hours 'not uncommon'.

Senior HSE officials have defended the progress their specialist team is making with under-pressure emergency departments in Limerick and Cork, insisting improvements take time.

A HSE national support team has been working with University Hospital Limerick since the summer, and has recently also started supporting Cork University Hospital and Galway University Hospital.

The hospitals in Cork and Limerick were among those highlighted by health watchdog Hiqa on Wednesday as facing significant pressures with waiting times of 80 to 90 hours “not uncommon”.

HSE chief operations officer Damien McCallion, however, defended the progress made so far at these sites.

“We have seen some improvement, and improvement generally can take some time to see those weave through, and making that sustainable is important,” he said.

“It’s the hospitals ultimately run it,” he said, referring to local management, doctors, and nursing staff.

In relation to UHL, he said: “Certainly initially we saw some improvement. They continue to be under pressure, you are not going to address all the elements of that with the internal issue.”  Work is ongoing at the three sites, he added.

He said that overall, the health system will be on "higher alert" in January, based on the rising number of flu and Covid-19 cases.

Last year thousands of patients waiting on vital operations saw these postponed under the pressure of rising emergency care needs as the HSE urged hospitals to take action.

Mr McCallion moved to reassure some patients, saying urgent cancer care would be protected.

“We try to minimise scheduling some of that work in those critical weeks so we don’t actually give patients the expectation of an appointment and then have to cancel,” he said.

HSE interim CEO Stephen Mulvany said 600 staff are being recruited nationally this winter. 

However, he also highlighted that there is “considerable variation” in the waiting times at hospitals around the country.

He said patients at Waterford University Hospital, for example, have not experienced long waits on trolleys for hospital beds. 

He echoed warnings from medical staff that flu cases are rising, and urged older people in particular to get the flu vaccine.

Worker vaccination

Meanwhile, vaccination lead Eileen Whelan called on healthcare workers to come for vaccination, saying the HSE is now offering greater access to this for over-worked staff.

She said 81% of these staff got the first booster, and she speculated the slow rate now is down to recent Covid infections.

“We are seeing an early flu season and an increase in the prevalence of Covid-19,” she also said.

There are 15 vaccination centres still running, with 60 pop-up clinics also available, she said.

Also at the briefing, Dr Eamonn O’Moore presented data showing the rising Covid cases in recent weeks.

“It is certainly modest, but it is a call to arms for us,” he said.