A SENIOR medical consultant has broken ranks by describing the removal of 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009 as a “very significant mistake”. His comment comes as University Hospital Limerick (UHL) struggles to cope with surging Emergency Department admissions after its declaration of a major internal hospital incident. The controversial removal of round the clock casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh, which has been consistently criticised by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign has been thrust back into the political agenda following the intervention of a senior medic. Professor Declan Lyons told RTÉ Radio One on Monday morning that some problems affecting healthcare in Limerick are separate to winter surges. “Unfortunately, we’re in the unenviable position where we’re almost characterised as a national basket case at this stage,” he said. He outlined that overcrowding issues date back to 2009 when the medical reconfiguration of hospitals saw a “very significant mistake made at that time when direct access …

Non-critical patients can now be transferred directly by ambulance to the Medical Assessment Unit in Ennis Hospital as part of a new pilot project to ease chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics were left with no option but to transport all Clare patients directly to UHL via ambulance following the controversial removal of 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009. The Mid-West Hospital Campaign has been informed this new emergency pathway will be accessible from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. The patient must meet agreed clinical criteria and has to be accepted by the MAU physician in Ennis Hospital. The Mid-West Hospital Campaign has welcomed this announcement as a “stepping stone in the right direction” towards its desired objective concerning the return of around the clock emergency cover at Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. A spokesperson thanked all the people involved in the Friends of Ennis Hospital, “Nenagh …

AN TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar didn’t float or sink a call for the commissioning of an independent inquiry into the management of the Irish Coast Guard when questioned by a local Dáil deputy. Speaking in the Dáil recently, Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne outlined Coast Guard volunteers selflessly give their time for others as part of Ireland’s fourth blue light emergency response. “In coastal communities throughout Ireland, and in Clare, their role cannot be understated. The Irish Coast Guard Volunteers Representative Association is an organisation with which this House is now very familiar. “Members of its national executive appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. “Its mission is very simple. It has two asks: a truly independent inquiry into the management of the Irish Coast Guard chaired by a retired High Court judge and the appointment of a permanent director of the Irish Coast Guard. “Will the Government heed its calls and engage with it properly and meaningfully, as promised, to …

A PROPOSED ban of using cyanide in future Clare mining operations that are located near groundwater has been backed by local councillors. This has been welcomed by Futureproof Clare who claimed the new Government policy on mineral exploration and mining has been devised solely to facilitate the large scale extraction of minerals. Councillor Johnny Flynn asked Clare County Council at a recent meeting to amend the wording of the new Draft County Development Plan to ensure there are proper environmental safeguards concerning the impact of any existing and proposed extractive industries. Chief executive, Pat Dowling pledged to request senior planning officials to look at strengthening these safeguards in the final wording of the new County Development Plan before it comes back before members. At the request of environmental campaigning group Futureproof Clare, Councillor Johnny Flynn brought the fact the county is not protected to the attention of the council. Councillor Flynn said the Draft Regional Water Resources Plan for the …

IMPROVEMENTS in relation to storage, premises and infection prevention in a Kilrush Nursing Home have been requested by an independent watchdog. While a Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) report found St Theresa’s Nursing Home, Kilkee Road, Kilrush was striving to implement systems and controls to protect residents from the risks associated with infections, improvements were required in relation to storage, premises and infection prevention and control governance and oversight to comply with infection control. A HIQA inspector found auditing practices in the centre were not effective. Two external audit type reviews were seen by the inspector, but these were not sufficient in detail to drive infection prevention and control practices and renovation plans. Additional nursing management roles had recently returned and been recruited and the inspector could see where further plans for role responsibility including auditing and supervision was starting to take place. A number of infrastructural issues impacted effective infection prevention and control. The sluice room was co-located …

THE long-awaited construction of the Ennistymon Inner Relief Road has been hit by an unexpected delay after a local couple whose florist business and family home are being put at risk lodged a Judicial Review. John and Sheena Clancy, Bogbere Street, Ennistymon, who are plaintiffs in a Judicial Review application, which was made on November 14, challenging recent planning approval granted by An Bord Pleanála. The family run West Clare Flowers in the heart of Ennistymon. This review taken by Augustus Cullen Law Solicitors was adjourned and the couple were given liberty to amend their statement of grounds. It was mentioned again in the High Court on November 21, and it is adjourned until January 30 for mention. The defendants listed in the case are An Bord Pleanála, Clare County Council and the Attorney General. In their objection to the appeals’ board, John and Sheena Clancy, Bogbere Street, Ennistymon, outlined the process has had a significant stressful impact on them …

RETAINED losses totalling €6.352 million and a loan owed to the Shannon Airport Group of €9.2 million have been outlined in Shannon Heritage’s accounts ahead of any proposed transfer of tourism sites to Clare County Council. In the Due Diligence report submitted to government, Clare County Council detailed significant neglect of the sites, the urgent need to halt the deterioration of the assets and estimated government investment totalling €15 million is required to achieve to allow these tourism attractions to reach their full potential. The Shannon Airport Group hasn’t given any indication whether it is in a position or is willing to write off some of the accumulated losses or the loan that is due to the overall group as part of any agreed transfer to the local authority. Responding to Clare Champion queries, the Shannon Airport Group confirmed it invested approximately €6 million in capital expenditure in Shannon Heritage to upgrade facilities between 2015 and 2019. “In addition, the …

SIGNIFICANT reductions in elective surgery and outpatient diagnostics will continue in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) over the next month after record high Emergency Department attendances resulted in “dangerous conditions” for patient and staff safety. The UL Hospitals’ Group has admitted planned reductions in scheduled care will continue over the Christmas and New Year period as the group concentrate on inpatients as well as emergency and time-critical care after the busiest weekend ever recorded in the hospital. Responding to Clare Champion queries about the impact of the unprecedented demand on public hospital services, the group outlined work in their operating theatres will be focused on emergency and trauma patients until January 16. It also warned anyone attending the ED with a less than urgent condition is going to face an “exceptionally long wait for treatment” as UHL struggled to cope with 92 patients on trolleys on Monday, 94 on Tuesday and 88 on Wednesday. The INMO has confirmed UHL is the …