UHL overcrowding report expected 'on Wednesday', says HSE chief

Bernard Gloster also expects the report on Aoife Johnston's death "imminently"

HSE chief Bernard Gloster said the report on overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick is currently being finalised. Picture:Barry Cronin

A report on overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) is expected on Wednesday, the HSE's chief executive has said.

Bernard Gloster told the Irish Examiner that the report, led by the former president of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine, Fergal Hickey, is currently being finalised with recommendations. 

A report on the death of teenager Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick is also expected imminently, Mr Gloster said.

The review by former Justice Frank Clarke was announced in December, but the timeframe was expanded to take account of shocking evidence heard at the inquest into her death.

“I know we put eight weeks on the timeframe at the start, I would still rather get the report right rather than quick. It is very near, that’s what the legal team tell me,” Mr Gloster said.

I’m expecting it very very shortly, almost imminently

Mr Gloster said he met with Mr Hickey's three-person review team into overcrowding last week.

“I met with them last Thursday, they are finalising a series of both observations and recommendations for me for this Wednesday,” he said.

This will be taken into existing reforms by the regional executive officer for the Mid-West, he said, “so that support will continue”.

He will consider these findings and other reviews that are underway, adding: "Out of that, I will make whatever decisions are required in respect of Limerick."

The late Aoife Johnston, 16, Shannon, Clare, died after waiting 12 hours on chair to see a doctor at University Hospital Limerick, in December 2022. Picture: David Raleigh

“There are internal process improvements the hospital can make, should make, and need to make.

"I’m from Limerick, I live in Limerick, I go to that hospital. My family go to that hospital. What I would say firstly if people need to go to hospital [is that] I am very confident they can go to that hospital. 

There are very good standards of care there

Mr Gloster was speaking after a workshop on accessing medical treatment in the EU held in Dublin. 

“We're seeing that new referrals onto waiting lists are up 7.3% in the first four months compared to last year,” he said.

While they are making “modest but nonetheless reasonable and really measurable improvements”, he warned that “the demographic is only going one way — the referrals to waiting lists are beyond everybody's expectations".

Numbers of patients admitted to hospital grew by 10% this year, he said, meaning another 130 people a day. He linked this to the need for a supplementary health budget. 

The Parliamentary Budget Office identified “significantly over-profile current spending in the Health Group of €638m” to the end of April.

Referring to previous estimates of €500m, he said: “That's not going to stop at €500-600m, so I'm loath to give a final figure at the moment.” 

He acknowledged the negative impact of the recruitment freeze, saying he hopes to relax that “shortly”. 

He said "fairly detailed discussions" are going on with Government about recruitment for 2024 and next year.