Irish Examiner view: People suffering due to lack of staff in HSE

People deserve a functioning health system — one which is fully staffed

Ambulances parked outside Cork University Hospital. The hospital has 25% fewer radiation therapists than it needs to work with cancer patients, according to HSE Southwest. Picture: Chani Anderson

Last week, we learned of the country’s chronic shortage of specialised car crash investigators, experts trained to determine the causes of road traffic accidents.

This week we learned of a different shortage in personnel. Cork University Hospital has 25% fewer radiation therapists than it needs to work with cancer patients, according to HSE Southwest. The hospital is short the equivalent of 13.5 full-time radiation therapists, with Priscilla Lynch, integrated healthcare area manager for Cork South and West, telling the Regional Health Forum South: “The most recent campaign to fill four clinical specialist RT posts secured one successful candidate.”