Brendan Griffin
Question:166. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his plans to resolve the ongoing crisis at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59376/21]
View answerFriday, 3 December 2021
Questions (166, 187)
Brendan Griffin
Question:187. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will visit University Hospital Kerry to meet with key stakeholders in an effort to address the challenges facing the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59377/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 187 together.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has informed me that the National Director for Acute Operations and members of the South/ South West Hospital Group (S/SWHG) Management Team met with the Executive Management Board of University Hospital Kerry (UHK), Clinical Directors, representatives of the Consultant Group and other key stakeholders earlier this month in UHK to discuss challenges currently facing the hospital.
The HSE has also advised me that in addition to the above meeting, the Interim Chief Operations Officer, S/SWHG was assigned to support UHK for a minimum of 2 days a week since the beginning of September 2021 and is supported by other members of the S/SWHG Management Team as required. The purpose of this is to work directly with the UHK Executive Management Board and clinical teams to support, stabilise and urgently address identified risks. This process will focus on the identification of delays within UHK patient flow streams and identify solutions, which mitigate associated patient risks. This arrangement was put in place to ensure that the S/SWHG will have the necessary assurances required with regard to the on-going safe management of patients in UHK.
The HSE has further advised that management at UHK and the S/SWHG are continuing to work in an integrated manner with their colleagues in Cork Kerry Community Healthcare to assist with patient flow and the application of the Five Fundamentals initiative and with Acute Operations to ensure that patients at UHK continue to receive the highest standard of care. UHK and S/SWHG are committed to doing everything possible to continually seek to address the on-going issues whilst ensuring patient safety.