Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
924. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to address the concerns highlighted in the recent Health Information and Quality Authority report of its 15 March 2022 inspection of the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37548/22]
View answerI welcome the recent HIQA report following the unannounced inspection of the Emergency Department (ED) in Limerick in March. I am concerned about the significant risk identified in the report to service users.
A compliance plan has been developed containing short-, medium- and long-term actions to bring about compliance with the relevant standards.
I met with senior officials from the HSE recently to discuss the issues in UHL and the immediate responses required to tackle the pressures currently being faced by all 29 EDs across the country. I was updated on the progress of the UHL Expert Team review and the response to the HIQA report. The HSE informed me that the Performance Management Improvement Unit (PMIU) has been mandated under its Performance Accountability Framework to lead the immediate engagement with the Hospital Group and the Mid-West CHO to ensure that the issues identified are addressed as a matter of urgency.
I have since requested the HSE to urgently commence the implementation of short-term measures to deal with the current challenges in UHL ED. Senior PMIU management were on-site again last week, supporting local hospital management.
The Hospital has said that short- and medium-term actions include the redeployment of nursing staff with experience to the ED; reviewing nurse staff levels within the ED; making more effective use of the capacity available in St. John's, Ennis, Nenagh and Croom to support UHL; developing an over-75s assessment area in the ED; and re-establishing the Acute Medical Unit and Surgical Assessment Unit pathways.
I am due to meet with HSE senior management this week to provide a further update on the development of the comprehensive plans for each ED which will set out short term and long-term measures to be taken locally and nationally, including at each Community Healthcare Organisation, to ensure sustainable improvements in emergency care performance.
My Department and I continue to work closely with the HSE to progress the plans which will be published in due course.
