The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
HSE MANAGEMENT UNDER FIRE
COUNCILLORS Damian Quigg and John Francis Flynn have both raised major concerns over issues in the public health service which they say are heaping pressure on University Hospital Kerry (UHK).
The councillors were speaking after a HSE South Regional Health Forum last week. Councillor Quigg has drawn attention to what he feels is an inadequate step-down system in the county – which he thinks piles pressure on UHK. He was also scathing of HSE management.
“I feel there’s something badly wrong with management at the HSE. I’m waiting 17 months for a meeting with Simon Harris, and that’s alarming,” he said.
“Killorglin was earmarked by the HSE as a location for a primary healthcare centre – but that is yet to materialise. It’s right in the centre of the county, and here we have rural settings that don’t have access to primary care facilities. I think there are six or seven beds in Dingle which can’t be used because they don’t have the staff, and you’re talking about a similar situation in Kenmare.”
Councillor Quigg said that patients, particularly elderly patients, are then presenting to A&E for quicker access to the hospital system. He explained that there have been difficulties in hiring additional staff at locations such as West Kerry Community Hospital, and he feels pay for entry-level nurses is too low compared to the cost of living in Ireland – resulting in nurses seeking work abroad.
Both councillors said that patients in neighbouring counties have also been presenting to UHK and that there are three additional ambulances arriving at the hospital each day. They explained to The Kerryman that they hope to see a meeting between the relevant hospitals, and Councillor Flynn said that the councillors’ respective party leaders will be asked to participate.
“It looks like there’s an overflow from Limerick and Cork coming to Tralee,” Councillor Flynn said.
“Kerry has a big enough catch- ment area itself. The hospital is three per cent busier this year, and it’s 10 per cent for over-75s.
“Another area that I’ve seen a problem in is treatment centres for people with addictions... they’re having to present themselves to Emergency Depart- ments, and I don’t know if that’s the proper place for them.
“A lot of these people could be sorted at a treatment centre, but they couldn’t afford to get into treatment centres. I know people who’ve spent four weeks inside in the psychiatric unit at UHK because they couldn’t get into treatment centres.
“I have great respect for medical staff, but I think they’re bogged down by paperwork as well – and that eats into time they should be able to use to treat patients.”
In a response, the HSE said, “We work in partnership with our colleagues in University Hospital Kerry to ensure that everything possible is done to relieve pressure on the ED there, including helping people to avoid hospital admittance, and to be discharged as soon as is appropriate.”
It added that there has been significant work and investment in its primary care network in Kerry, with new centres due to open in Tralee and Castleisland. “Plans are well advanced for a centre in Killarney, with further plans for Listowel at an earlier stage of the process,” the response read.
It described formal and informal staff-recruitment efforts for the hospital as “extensive” and that it will continue with these efforts. The opening of additional beds at Kenmare Community Hospital “is dependent on recruitment to the staffing levels agreed with unions”.
The response added that funding is in place for treating drug and alcohol addiction, though “there may be times when someone with an addiction presents with other medical needs, and in some of those cases, admission through an emergency department may be the most appropriate course of action.”