Cork TD seeking immediate Government action over staffing levels at CUH

SINN Féin TD for Cork South-Central, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, has called on the Government to address the severe situation in Cork University Hospital (CUH) which now has the second-lowest level of staff per patient bed of any hospital in the State.

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Ó Laoghaire said: “The situation in Cork University Hospital, CUH, is severe and has been for some time,” highlighting issues related to workforce raised in a recent Department of Health report.

Trends

It examined trends in activity, expenditure, and workforce in public acute hospitals across Ireland, and showed that CUH’s workforce increased by just 17% from 2016-2022, the smallest percentage increase in Ireland.

The hospital also saw the most significant loss of staff, and was one of just three hospitals with any form of reduction, losing 80 nursing and midwifery staff, despite increases in other areas.

It found that CUH was the only hospital not to see its level of clinically-aligned staff per bed increase during the six-year period, ranking second-lowest nationally at three staff per bed.

Mr Ó Laoghaire said: “The workforce report which came out during the week identified that Cork has the second-lowest level of clinically-aligned or frontline staff of any hospital in the State and is down 80 nurses and midwives over that period — the workforce, generally speaking, rose across the system.

“Does the minister accept that CUH is in need of particular attention? Does he accept that the recruitment embargo is an exceptionally blunt instrument?”

He also reminded the minister: “We have a situation in Cork where housekeeping staff are effectively being told that there are no days of leave and there is no scope for holidays for them,” asking again: “Does the minister accept that the recruitment embargo is a blunt tool that is significantly restricting the ability of hospitals to respond to the current crisis they face?”