Concerns over staff shortages, patient safety in midwest

Senior hospital management in the midwest health region have raised serious concerns about staffing shortages and ongoing patient safety issues across the region.

It is understood that senior representatives of the UL Hospitals Group outlined their concerns about University Hospital Limerick (UHL) during a meeting with Oireachtas members earlier this week.

In a briefing, hospital management warned that demand for services is outstripping available resources, while difficulties filling priority posts are placing increasing pressure on services.

Concerns were also raised about recruitment arrangements, with hospital management understood to have told politicians that they no longer have direct control over recruitment decisions, despite being held responsible for the delivery and safety of services.

It is understood there are more than 350 vacant posts in the midwest region and hospital managers have been unable to recruit since late June due to HSE employment restrictions.