Expenditure to-date tops 267,000 euro
A HIGH dependency unit in the Mid Western Regional Hospital remains unused, despite the best efforts of hospital management for some years.
Responding to a recent parliamentary question from Deputy Jan O’Sullivan,
asking the Minister for Health when the paediatric high dependency unit in the hospital will open, and if it is being given priority in terms of services urgently needed in the region, John Hennessy, network manager at the hospital responded that management has been “trying to progress this development for some years without success.
“Total expenditure on specialist equipment amounts to 267,538 euro to-date, and further funds have been spent on refurbishment,” he said.
The high dependency unit is located within the existing paediatric department of the hospital, with the objective of allowing for a concentration of seriously ill paediatric patients and a better deployment of medical and nursing expertise.
Mr Hennessy confirms that four additional nursing whole-time posts were allocated to provide for the service.
He stressed to Deputy O’Sullivan that the issue has been the subject of extensive local negotiations with the nursing unions for the past six years, and that more recently it has been considered by the Labour Relations Commission on three separate occasions.
“However, without success to-date, a further meeting with the nursing unions is scheduled for this month and I will keep you advised of developments,” he told the deputy.
Deputy O’Sullivan said she is awaiting a reply from the Minister, as well as the latest developments from the nursing unions.
