Minister must explain reported pressure on CUH CEO and order independent staffing review – Harmon
Minister must explain reported pressure on CUH CEO and order independent staffing review - Harmon - The Labour Party
Labour Senator Laura Harmon has today called on Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to commission an independent staffing review at Cork University Hospital following Irish Times revelations that its chief executive was warned of possible performance management action after raising concerns about staffing and patient safety. Senator Harmon said the Taoiseach and Minister must also explain reports that their offices instructed a senior HSE executive to have specific conversations with CUH chief executive Jennifer Kearney.
Senator Harmon said:
“Today’s reports are deeply concerning. When a hospital chief executive raises patient safety concerns, Government and the HSE should take those warnings seriously. Talk of performance management demands an explanation.
“The minutes reportedly record a senior HSE executive saying that the Taoiseach’s and Minister’s offices had instructed him to have specific conversations with Jennifer Kearney. Both have denied speaking to him. That leaves serious questions about what contact took place between their offices and the HSE. We need clear answers.
“Hospital leaders must have the confidence to speak openly about risks. Any suggestion that raising concerns could lead to professional consequences risks discouraging others from speaking out. Patients depend on staff at every level having the confidence to raise the alarm.
“Jennifer Kearney’s concerns have the backing of consultants at CUH. Nine clinical directors have sought an independent staffing assessment and urgent approval for 172 priority posts. These clinicians carry responsibility for patient care, and the Minister must heed their warnings.
“The CEO has described a shortage of more than 1,000 staff. The Minister disputes the hospital’s position and points to safety indicators. An independent review must establish what staffing CUH needs to meet patient demand and where recruitment restrictions prevent it from filling essential posts.
“The announced HIQA assessment does not remove the need for a separate examination of staffing requirements. Consultants have made that distinction clear. The Minister must address the concerns they have raised.
“Last week’s revelations about the surgical hub underline why this matters. Government opened it with considerable fanfare on 28 September, only for it to close almost immediately after failing environmental tests. The Irish Examiner reported that staffing and recruitment difficulties continued to limit activity after it reopened on 12 October. New buildings cannot deliver care without the staff to run them.
“Minister Carroll MacNeill must stop sparring with CUH management, explain the reported pressure on its CEO and commission an independent staffing review without delay. She must then provide the funding and recruitment approvals needed to address its findings. Cork patients and staff deserve action now.”