Student doctor unimpressed by hygiene audit

I UNDERTSTAND Seán Sherlock TD needs to support his constituents, but he needs also to get his facts straight.

Firstly, Mallow is not one of the cleanest hospitals in Munster. When I was there on rotation as a student doctor less than a year ago, there was a hygiene audit going on. Yes, we all knew it was happening. Farcical.

Secondly, I would not let a member of my own family be a patient there and, as a doctor, I think that says a lot. Patient safety comes first and I welcome the HIQA investigation there.

Deputy Sherlock should not pretend all “small hospitals” are the same – all that does is offend other small hospitals. Mallow provides a service to the people of north Cork and the deputy is probably right in saying its A&E takes some of the pressure off Cork University Hospital.

Unfortunately, there’s a certain standard of care that needs to be upheld to make a hospital safe and if concerns have been expressed that Mallow isn’t meeting them, then I support an investigation. If Mallow is as good as Deputy Sherlock believes, then why would they have anything to worry about?

Melissa O’Neill

Burncourt

Cahir

Co Tipperary