Recruitment and retention plans at Irish hospitals urgently needed - INMO

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is calling for the urgent implementation of recruitment and retention plans for hospitals this winter. 

The call comes following the publication of HIQA inspection reports into three Irish hospitals including Cork University Hospital, Cavan and Monaghan Hospital, and St Columcille's Hospital. 

According to INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, subsequent action is now "key". 

She said, "We welcome the role HIQA has played in inspecting into Cork University Hospital, Cavan and Monaghan Hospital and St. Columcille’s Hospital. We know following HIQA’s report into University Hospital Limerick that subsequent action following HIQA’s reporting is key. 

"Bespoke recruitment and retention measures are needed hospital by hospital this winter. The funding allocated in the Winter Plan to implement the Safe Staffing Framework is welcome to ensure that a safe nursing to patient staffing and skill mix ratio exists in each emergency department is key.

"As outlined in the HSE Winter Plan published this week, each ED should conduct an urgent analysis to identify and address gaps and risks, each hospital must move to undertake this process immediately." 

According to the Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for Southern Region, Colm Porter, HIQA's findings into Cork University Hospital are "particularly dark". 

He said, "On the day that HIQA carried out its inspection (June 15th) 62 people were without a bed. Since then, over 4469 patients have been on trolleys in Cork University Hospital. The hospital is the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland today. The bed deficit that currently exists in both CUH and the wider Cork community is adding to the pressure in this Emergency Department.

"HIQA’s report raises questions on the safety of staffing levels in CUH. A bespoke taskforce is now needed to tackle the ongoing issues in Cork University Hospital, focusing on staffing and timely discharging of patients in order to improve patient flow.” 

According to HIQA's inspection at Cork University Hospital, the emergency department was noted as "still overcrowded" despite hospital management's efforts to mitigate risks. 

Waiting times for triage, medical review and admission to an inpatient bed were all noted as representing "a risk to patients". 

The report stated this was acknowledged by staff in the emergency department and hospital management who had put short-term mitigation measures in place, and were progressing "longer-term substantive plans". 

Inspectors noted overcrowding compromised the dignity, privacy and confidentiality of patients attending and receiving care
in the hospital’s emergency department and was not in line the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare or consistent with the human rights-based approach to healthcare promoted by HIQA. 

The report states: "As previously noted by HIQA, the challenges in the emergency department faced by hospital management at Cork University Hospital reflect challenges also experienced in other emergency departments across the country. Given this, more also needs to be done at local, regional and national levels to address the issues of insufficient capacity and ineffective patient flow, which are key contributing factors to the overcrowding and long waiting times in emergency departments."