This article is from page 12 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
NURSES’ representatives at Ennis General Hospital have welcomed the announcement of an independent re- view of services at the hospital.
In a statement the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said they wel- comed the decision by Minster for Health Mary Harney to proceed with an independent review of services at the hospital to be undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Au-
thority (HIQA).
The organisation stated, ““Members of the INO at the hospital have for many years advocated on behalf of patients in relation to infection con- trol risks, overcrowding, understaff- ing and non-replacement of consult- ant posts.
‘In one instance in the Emergency Department at the hospital, it took the former Mid Western Health Board and the HSE almost five years to appoint one additional nurse to
this department, in order to cope with the demands of this service in a safer environment.”
The INO also claimed that, “at meetings held at the hospital in the last four to five years, nurses were frustrated and upset that their con- cerns on the clinical governance environment for patients were not receiving the appropriate response from the HSE.
‘Nurses believe that it is also nec- essary to review the episode of care
of Ms Ann Moriarty at St James’ Hospital, Dublin in particular, prior to her discharge from a Centre of Ex- oI Serene
INO Industrial Relation’s Officer Mary Fogarty said she anticipates that the review will address concerns at Ennis General Hospital, long held by members of the nursing staff.
“Our members welcome the inde- pendent review by HIQA and look forward to fully co-operating with it,’ said Ms Fogarty.
She added, “Members anticipate that this review will finally, throw light on the severe understaffing, un- der resourcing and concerns on pa- tient safety and outcomes that have prevailed for too long at the hospi- Ne
“Our members look forward to the opportunity to identify to HIQA their requirements for the hospital to ensure that clinical governance is central in the delivery of safe care to OTB elem