Watchdog seeks clarity on Cork University Hospital health and safety concerns

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has written to Cork University Hospital (CUH) querying potential health and safety issues in the wake of serious concerns raised by its chief executive last week.

The hospital’s chief executive Jennifer Kearney and then senior consultants wrote to the regional management in HSE South West last week, raising serious safety concerns linked to staff shortages and delays with recruitment.

After the concerns were aired in the media, the health watchdog wrote to CUH querying the reports late last week.

A spokesman confirmed Hiqa had written to CUH, saying it is seeking clarification on what was reported. It is awaiting a response from the hospital before any decisions are taken around follow-up action, he added.

Part of Hiqa’s role is overseeing hospitals and it has been closely involved, for example, in efforts to support change at University Hospital Limerick.

Hiqa inspectors previously visited CUH and compiled a report in March last year.

This found that the emergency department was seeing “high levels of activity and, in accordance with the hospital’s escalation plan, was classified as being in red escalation” on the day.

Additional challenges

Inspectors recorded “additional challenges” for the whole site, including limited availability of suitable community rehabilitation, transitional, and step-down beds. They recorded challenges for staff in organising enough home-care support for patients returning home.

“This was consistent with Hiqa’s previous inspection in 2023. As a result, 25 patients experienced delays in their transfer of care on the day,” the report said.

Overall, the report concluded that while the system was being well managed, it found a “significant mismatch between the demand for health services and the availability of beds at the hospital”.

It also noted “scope for improvement” in data monitoring and collection, which could improve patients’ experiences.

CUH has been consistently under pressure, according to Ms Kearney, who in her letter warned of staff shortages of more than 1,000 people.

“I believe that process is creating a foreseeable risk to patients and staff,” she wrote.

“I would rather raise that concern now, when there is still an opportunity to act, than remain silent and explain afterwards why we did not.”

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation as well as the Irish Hospital Consultants Association also raised concerns last week in response to Ms Kearney’s letter, calling for investment and immediate Government action.