Questions raised over Minister for Health's confidence in UHL management

A CLARE TD has called upon Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to say whether he has confidence in the senior management of the UL Hospitals Group.

Independent TD for Clare Violet-Anne Wynne submitted a parliamentary question to the minister, asking if "he has confidence in the senior management of the UL Hospitals Group (ULHG); and if he will make a statement on the matter."

In his reply, Minister Donnelly acknowledged the effects that issues such as "overcrowding at the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and delays to treatment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have had on patients, their families and staff working in the ULHG".

He highlighted developments across the ULHG, such as the new purpose-built €2m Injury Unit at Ennis Hospital, the Medical Assessment Units (MAUs) at Ennis Hospital, Nenagh, and St John’s that are now open seven days a week, and the introduction of the MAU pathway for 112/999 patients at Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals.

Deputy Wynne said she acknowledged; "where the Minister is coming from in his reply, however he fails to address or even acknowledge the numerous failings and shortcomings of the Senior Management Team on numerous occasions throughout".

"He does not acknowledge the very serious compliance issues that were highlighted in the most recent HIQA inspection of University Hospital Limerick where erroneous classifications of partial and substantial compliance saved the hospital from non-compliance by the skin of its teeth," she said in a statement responding to the minister's reply.

"I understand that we cannot lay blame squarely at the feet of senior management without acknowledging the significant role that Government have played in both the divestment of A&E services from Ennis Hospital and the resulting significant failures in the UL Hospitals Group to meet demand in the region since," Deputy Wynne continued.