Time to sort out CF log-jam is now

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI), the national charity, has met with the hospital management, clinicians and the HSE and has urged that a speedy resolution is found to end the dispute that is holding up the development of a new inpatient facility in Cork University Hospital.

A badly-needed new inpatient facility for adults with CF and other respiratory conditions has been planned for CUH for some time. Funding for the project, estimated by the hospital to be around €1.5m, has been raised by a locally-based CF charity Build4Life. The site for the new inpatient rooms, which is in the former renal unit ward in CUH, has been prepared by the hospital at a cost of €250,000. If charitable funding is released, CFI understands that building can commence within a few weeks and can be completed within a few months.

The ring-fencing of beds for CF has been an issue in other hospitals around the country and has been cited as a major issue in the delay. I can report that in our experience, this challenge can be resolved through a written agreement and good operational procedures. The key issue is that patients with CF are assured that sufficient beds will be available when they are needed but at the same time that when beds are not needed for CF, they can be freed up for other very ill patients with respiratory and other conditions.

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland is confident that, following discussions, a similar type of agreement can be drawn up for CUH that will allow building to commence immediately for this vital facility. We feel that progress to this end was made at our recent meeting with the hospital. A meeting involving all parties will need to be convened in the near future to resolve outstanding issues and to enable building to commence. Any further delays would compromise the care of adult CF and indeed other patients in the south-west region. We call on all parties to resolve the issues in a spirit of consensus and trust, and we offer our support in this process.

Note: Cystic Fibrosis Ireland has contributed over €350,000 in recent years for the internationally renowned CF research initiative in CUH led by Dr Barry Plant. Furthermore, CFI financially supports the building of CF units in Limerick, Crumlin, Waterford, Drogheda, Castlebar and Cavan hospitals. In 2013 alone €2.1m was spent on such projects by CFI. CFI’s Pollock Report resulted in CUH being designated a major CF specialised centre by the HSE in 2006 and resulted in significant additional funding for medical staff to treat people with CF.

Philip Watt

CEO

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland