A&E deficiencies in Ennis hospital

AN independent review of the performance of accident and emergency departments in the country has highlighted deficiencies in acute hospitals in the Mid-West, including Ennis hospital.
The Comptroller and Auditor General published its review of the performance of A&E departments last Friday. It examined departments by cost per attendance, capacity, speciality access and availability, diagnostics and bed-waiting time, based on information and official statistics provided in 2008.
According to this analysis, the average cost per attendance in Limerick is the 13th highest in the country at €163 for each casualty patient. The average cost of treating a patient in Ennis is €141, while Nenagh Hospital is the least expensive at €107.
In 2008, up to 19,662 patients attended the accident and emergency department in Ennis hospital compared to 16,257 in Nenagh.
The survey found decision capacity – the extent to which consultants and specialist registrars in emergency medicine were available in the department – was inadequate at Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s. Speciality access was deemed satisfactory in Limerick, but inadequate in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s. Diagnostics was deemed satisfactory in Limerick and Ennis but inadequate in Nenagh and St John’s, while bed waiting time was deemed inadequate in Limerick and Ennis but satisfactory in Nenagh and St John’s.
Welcoming the report, the HSE stated significant progress has been made in emergency departments since the authority was established. It pledged that from March, the traditional 2pm waiting count system would be replaced by a system that will record the full length of the emergency department experience for each patient from start to finish, data which will be publicly available.
“The progress made in most hospitals is the result of the work of emergency department consultants, nurses and wider hospital clinicians and managers in changing clinical, nursing and management practice.
“Where there are delays, they are not a reflection of how emergency department consultants or staff work but instead, as confirmed by the report, point to the changes that are needed in how patients are managed by the hospital and the wider health care system as a whole.
“On average, 17% of patients admitted through emergency departments spend less than 24 hours in a ward and 30% less than 48 hours.
“The HSE is working with hospitals and the newly appointed clinical directors to improve access for patients to senior clinical decision makers for extended periods each day as provided for in the new consultant contract,” the HSE stated.