HSE management is refusing to allow a question from the Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District to be submitted to the HSE West Forum agenda at the end of the month.
In a written question, Independent Councillor Michael Kilcoyne has asked management to outline what actions have been taken to address the concerns outlined by HIQA inspectors around the registration of consultants at Mayo University Hospital last summer (2022), when HIQA carried out an inspection of the hospital.
HSE management claims the question concerning “staff contracts” is outside the remit of the forum.
But Cathaoirleach Kilcoyne is refusing to accept this response.
The published HIQA report last August stated that its inspectors were informed management that it had a number of consultants employed in Mayo University Hospital who were not on the relevant specialist division of the register of the Irish Medical Council.
Hospital management had at that time indicated that “up to a quarter of the consultants not currently on the register were expected to be able to be registered by the end of 2022.”
Cathaoirleach Kilcoyne insists he wants answers from HSE management because HIQA had concluded in its inspection report on MUH that “overall, the environment posed a significant risk to the quality of healthcare provided and to the health and welfare of patients attending the emergency department. Inspectors did not find sufficient evidence that actions taken by management sufficiently addressed deficits of service users’ dignity, privacy and autonomy on the day of inspection.”
The Cathaoirleach has been speaking to Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley …
