Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming back to the Chamber to discuss this all-important issue. I would like him to make a statement regarding the recent HIQA report on University Hospital Limerick. It is a damaging, concerning, disappointing and shocking report. I have been raising the issue of UHL in this House, as well as with the Minister for Health, for a long time. I raise issues every week. While there are positive things that happen there, this report is damaging. It is important that the Minister acknowledges the concerns around the hospital.

I welcome that the visit was unannounced. I had been calling for this, because I believe that in an unannounced visit we can get the true sense of the issues within the hospital. I have written to the Minister seeking the terms of reference of the independent group that he is asking to look at the hospital and the issues present there. I believe that this report should inform what the independent group looks at.

The report outlined many disturbing facts and concluded that UHL was mainly non-compliant with all HIQA standards. That is most frightening. Throughout the report, it can be seen that of the many examinations that took place, none of them concluded that the hospital was compliant. There have been recent reports of patients going missing. There are not enough neurological nurses, which I have highlighted in the House in the past. I was told that three were sufficient but I believe that eight are required.

Some solutions have been suggested, including the provision of 100 beds. However, Professor Lenihan said the other evening that they need more than 200 beds to bring the hospital up to standard. More than 200 patients have been waiting for over four years for appointments for diabetes. These issues are not helping the overcrowding conditions.

During Covid-19, 98 extra beds as well as 11 extra critical care beds were provided but that has not been enough. Improved access to special infection prevention, supporting staff with education and training, improving clinical audits, activity within the emergency department and staffing levels are all issues that were highlighted in the report. I believe the Minister for Health and his Department can no longer bury their heads in the sand and ignore the crisis any further. Doing so will be a reflection of the fact that, at the moment, his concerns do not seem to be around overcrowding in UHL.I really believe it is the worst hospital in the country in that respect. On one day alone last month, there were 126 people on trolleys. Standard 6.1 states: "Service providers plan, organise and manage their workforce to achieve the service objectives for high quality, safe and reliable healthcare." The report concluded that UHL was non-compliant in this matter as staff shortages were always present and staff deficits varied between 17% and 33%.

With regard to the quality and safety dimension, the report found that UHL was also non-compliant on the two national standards that were assessed. Furthermore, UHL was found to be non-compliant regarding service users' dignity, privacy and autonomy, which is highly disturbing as patient confidentiality is crucial in all healthcare settings. The hospital was also found to be non-compliant in the service provider's ability to protect service users from the risk of harm associated with design and delivery of healthcare services. The conclusion of the report states that while it was the second busiest emergency department in 2021, UHL had the second lowest bed stock compared with other model 4 hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway. Another point that was highlighted is that elective hospitals in other areas are being progressed. In Limerick that is certainly not the case.

It is deeply concerning that there has not yet been a single comment from the Minister on the report. Undoubtedly the crisis is dangerous, not only for the people of Limerick and the mid-west but also for the staff. That is the really frightening part. I have been speaking to some of the staff and morale is on the floor. The report from last Friday needs to be considered in a serious light and taken as part of the independent review the Minister is ordering. The issues need to be addressed. Limerick and the mid-west deserve a better standard of healthcare, not only for the patients and their families but for the staff working there as well. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.