Cork's Bon Secours performs well in Hiqa review

Cork’s Bon Secours Hospital has performed well in a recent Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report with almost full compliance with regulations, including a vacancy rate of less than 1%.

The private hospital was marked compliant in nine areas and substantially compliant in two following an unannounced inspection earlier this year. Inspectors noted that patients spoken to were complimentary about the staff and the care they received commenting that they “cannot say enough about the level of care and”, “the staff are exceptional’’, and “it’s like a home from home”.

At the time of inspection, the hospital had 1,280 whole time equivalent (WTE) staff. Their absenteeism rate was 3.55% and the vacancy rate was 0.78%. This compared to a 13% nursing shortfall and a 6.6% absenteeism rate identified in Cork University Hospital in a Hiqa report published on the same day. The HSE’s target absenteeism rate is 4% or less.

Bons Secours Hospital measured a patient experience metric of six hours from review to decision to admit to an inpatient bed or discharge, and compliance with the metric ranged from 90%-95%. Hospital activity was reviewed three times a day where patient flow, patient acuity, and any risks were discussed and managed, while the clinical areas were described as “clean and well maintained”.

Issues raised by Hiqa included the need to further focus on medication prescribing, with inspectors noting that a recent report identified the need to bring incomplete, unclear, and illegible prescriptions to the attention of the prescriber. The hospital is currently introducing an electronic healthcare records system, which inspectors said should improve prescribing.

Another report showed compliance with the administration of antibiotics at one hour was 67%. In quarter one 2025, the one hour compliance with the sepsis six bundle had increased to 44% (up from 36% 2024) and three hour compliance to 66% (up from 49% 2024).