A local TD has written to HSE West boss John Hennessy demanding an explanation for the delay in recruiting 12 theatre nurses for University Hospital Galway.
Deputy Brian Walsh says the positions were sanctioned by Health Minister Dr James Reilly almost two months ago in a bid to increase theatre availability and reduce waiting lists at the west’s biggest hospital.
This came hot on the heels of mounting concern over the wide reaching effects of the shortage of theatre nurses there. Mr Walsh stated then that while there were 16 operating theatres at UHG these were not always working to their full capacity because of this shortage. In 2008 there were 129 theatre nurses at the hospital but because of the embargo on the recruitment of staff this number had dropped to 94. Consultants were competing with each other for theatre space, he said.
Minister Reilly agreed to circumvent the national recruitment embargo to facilitate the appointment of the nurses at a top level meeting between him, local Oireachtas politicians and hospital consultants in Dublin in June.
However, Deputy Walsh says the 12 theatre nurses have yet to be appointed and he is now demanding answers from the HSE West’s regional director of operations.
“The recruitment of these nurses is absolutely critical if University Hospital Galway is to achieve a reduction in its waiting lists which is a key factor in the hospital’s consistently poor performance in the HSE’s monthly HealthStat reports [a HSE league table which rates hospitals’ performances.]”
He is accusing the local health authority of “dragging its heels” regarding the appointment of the nurses and warns patients’ lives are being put at risk by the deferral of surgeries.
“Almost two months on, we are still in the same unacceptable position and every day that goes by without the recruitment of additional theatre nurses, procedures are being deferred and patients’ lives are being put at risk.
“Minister Reilly saw the urgency of the situation at our meeting last June and agreed to the exceptional measure of circumventing the recruitment moratorium to allow for theatre nurses to be appointed.”
Deputy Walsh says he subsequently got a commitment from the HSE’s John Hennessy that the appointment would be made as quickly as possible.
“This was to facilitate consultants in their efforts to reduce sprawling waiting lists but the HSE continues to drag its heels.
“I have now taken the step of writing to Mr Hennessy to highlight the urgency of the matter and to ask why these theatre nurses have not been appointed some two months after their recruitment was sanctioned by the Department of Health.”
Meanwhile in a statement the HSE West said it hoped the additional nurses would be appointed in the coming weeks. It explained there had been delays but was hopeful of sorting out these problems.
“The permanent appointment of the additional theatre nurses in UHG is progressing. The process has experienced some delays due to the current recruitment pause. However, we hope to overcome these difficulties and ensure the additional nurses are in place in the coming weeks.”
