Tag Archives: HIQA

The number of patients on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has jumped almost tenfold from 2,422 in 2009 when casualty cover was removed from three hospitals to 21,445 in 2023, according to new figures produced by a local lobby group. Following the cancellation of surgery at UHL in recent weeks, the number of patients on trolleys fell from more than a 100 to 48 on August 29 before climbing back up to 78 on Wednesday. The Health Information and Quality Authority is compiling a report examining the need for a second emergency department in the Mid-West, which it says will not be published until the summer of 2025. A new document prepared by the Friends of Ennis Hospital, which has been submitted to HIQA presents a case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital This document, prepared by Friends of Ennis Hospital, lays out the case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital to a Model 3, which would allow for …

An unannounced inspection of University Hospital Limerick has found the hospital “non-compliant” with three of the four national standards assessed in the inspection and “substantially compliant” with the forth standard. The inspection, which was conducted by HIQA on November 21 last, found that since the previous inspection, the hospital had made improvements in resourcing, supports and alternate pathways. It had established an Urgent and Emergency Care Directorate to coordinate the strategic and operational function of the emergency and urgent care services across the six hospital sites of the UL Hospitals Group. The report, which was published earlier today, found that the ongoing mismatch between the number of people attending the Emergency Department (ED) and the hospital’s capacity resulted in an overcrowded ED, with patients admitted to the hospital continuing to be accommodated in the ED. At 10am on the day of inspection, 32 of the 82 patients in the ED were admitted and awaiting an inpatient bed. This overcrowding, albeit …

ADDITIONAL actions were required to meet national standards at Athlunkard House Nursing Home Westbury, when Health Information and Quality Authority inspectors returned for a follow-up inspection, according to a new report. While the overall provision of care was found to be of an appropriate standard, some further action was required in the monitoring and oversight arrangements in place to ensure compliance with national regulations. There were 89 residents in the centre during the unannounced HIQA inspection on December 7, 2023. Residents told the inspectors that the “staff are so good’’, and that they ‘’feel safe’’ and at “home”. Staff interactions with residents were observed to be kind and person-centred throughout the inspection. Residents were observed to be engaged in activities throughout the day and residents told the inspectors that they were satisfied with the variety of activities available. Inspectors observed that some communal rooms and some bedrooms were not cleaned to an acceptable standard. Housekeeping audits to support infection prevention …

An ENNIS Nursing Home has pledged to carry out an upgrading of its premises and equipment following concerns expressed by inspectors during a recent visit conducted by an independent health watchdog. Mowlam Healthcare Services has told the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) a planned programme of refurbishment that was put on hold due to Covid-19 will be recommenced at Ennis Nursing Home, Showgrounds Road, Drumbiggle. This will include painting, floor repair, upgrade to Bain Marie storage area in both dining rooms and repair to skirting and door frames. The person in charge will ensure that the facilities team undertake a review of lighting, particularly near lift exit and corridors upstairs. The PIC has completed a comprehensive review of all resident equipment. Any resident equipment deemed not suitable has been discarded and replaced; for equipment that required cleaning, a new tagging system has been introduced whereby cleaned items can be tagged after cleaning with a date stamp. The management team …

THE publication of a strongly critical report of the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has prompted a range of emotions for a local hospital campaigner. Marie McMahon from Ennistymon has been actively campaigning for the restoration of 24-hour casualty cover in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals for years. Her husband, Tommy died on a hospital trolley in April 2018 after spending about 36 hours waiting to get a bed. In an interview with the Clare Champion, those sad memories lingered for Marie, but she was happy that the HIQA report had vindicated the long, hard fight by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign for decent health provision for the people in the region. “The HIQA Report has validated all the things we have been saying that have been missed. Finally a body with some authority has stated in a report what those in authorities have been denying. “Everyone was putting their own spin on things. This report shows we …

ONE of the 60 patients in the Emergency Department at UHL was waiting more than 116 hours for a hospital bed, an inspection report completed by the Health Information and Equality Authority has found. Inspectors who visited UHL unannounced on March 15 found a second was waiting over 85 hours and a third was waiting 71 hours. Hospital management told inspectors that all three patients were awaiting suitable in-patient isolation facilities. Performance data on the patient experience time collected on the day of HIQA’s inspection was poor. The data showed that at 11.30am the hospital was not compliant with any of the national key performance indicators for the emergency department set by the HSE. At that time 76 patients (55%) attendees to the emergency department were in the department for more than six hours after registration. Over half (51%) of the attendees to the emergency department were in the department for more than nine hours after registration. Just over one …

AN INSPECTION by HIQA has found that conditions in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick pose a significant risk to the provision of care and to the health and welfare of people receiving care. The report by the health watchdog, published today, found UHL’s emergency department to be non-compliant in three key indicators from the National Standards for safer better healthcare. It was only partially compliant with the other key standard. Excessive demand on services, ineffective patient flow and insufficient nurse staffing levels were all highlighted in the report of an inspection that took place at the hospital on March 15 of this year. On that date HIQA conducted a risk-based unannounced inspection of the ED at UHL to follow up on issues of overcrowding and to assess preparations for the risk of additional severe crowding over the upcoming bank holiday weekend of March 17 to 20. During the inspection, HIQA assessed compliance with four key standards under the …

CHRONIC overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) is back under the national spotlight following confirmation HIQA is considering inspecting the Emergency Department as part of its recent monitoring of this issue. The INMO’s Trolley Watch reported there were 87 patients on trolleys in UHL last week, which fell to 71 on Tuesday before increasing again to 75 on Wednesday. Calls are being made for the Emergency Department Taskforce to be convened and for emergency measures to be deployed in the areas worst hit. UHL regularly has the dubious distinction of being the most overcrowded hospital in the country. Deputy Michael McNamara has called on the HSE and government to publish the findings of a review by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into the ongoing trolley crisis at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The Independent Deputy issued his request in Dáil Éireann on Wednesday after Junior Health Minister Mary Butler confirmed to him that the health agency has written to …