Call to streamline services at Regional and St John’s
CHAPLAINCY services at two Limerick hospitals and across the west should be streamlined to adopt more cost effective measures such as those employed at Ennis General, according to a member of the Regional Health Forum West.
The HSE spent €179,489, at the 103-bed St. John’s Hospital in Limerick, a sum not dissimilar to the €195,617 spent at the much larger 435-bed Mid West Regional Hospital, in figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
In 2011, there was expenditure of over €1 million on chaplaincy and pastoral services in the west.
According to Clare County Councillor and member of the health forum, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green Party), savings could be made by the HSE if they streamlined the chaplaincy services at the Limerick hospitals in-line with the system utilised at Ennis General Hospital, where just €9,986 was spent for an on-call chaplaincy service.
“I’m not saying the service needs to stop; I’m not even beginning to consider that,” Cllr Meaney emphasised to the Limerick Post.
“Chaplains and pastoral care workers are essential for those enduring difficult times in hospitals, but I have firsthand experience of the excellent level of service provided in Ennis Hospital on a fraction of the cost spent at other hospitals.
“Ennis use an on-call chaplaincy service for all denominations, so if a priest or minister is required they can be brought in, and it is very efficient”.
He said that the discrepancy between the spend at St. John’s Hospital and the much larger MWRH does not make financial sense.
“I’d like to see the HSE and all church denominations getting together to have the system streamlined, while maintaining the same level of service.
“It is definitely an issue the HSE could look at when budgeting for 2012”.
Cllr Meaney has placed the matter as a notice of motion for the next meeting of the Health Forum West, taking place later this month.
