Health minister backs Cork University Hospital amid staffing row

9 scientific directors at CUH composed to Taoiseach Micheál Martin recently about continuous staffing problems. Ever since, the health minister has actually dismissed the issues, consistently stating the healthcare facility had actually employed two times as lots of people as had actually been allocated.

Speaking at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Cork on Saturday early morning, Ms Carroll MacNeill stated she would suggest that a relative go to the health center if they were unhealthy.

“Absolutely,” she stated.

“The quality of patient care in CUH and in the Mercy is extremely good. Their outcomes are extremely good. They have very, very specialist, capable consultants right across a whole range of disciplines, and of course then the Mercy as well. So it’s very, very good care.

“What we require to do with the area normally is ensure that the entire area is utilizing the significant extra resources that the taxpayer has actually offered it. That has actually been financial investment, for example, in extra beds in Mallow, which has actually gone from 34 to 97. We have extremely considerable personnel increases right around the county.

“Indeed, I have loved ones that have actually had care in CUH, remarkably excellent cancer care in specific, and naturally it’s a significant injury centre. No, I would have really strong self-confidence in the care that’s provided in CUH.

“What we always want to do is make sure that our processes are tip-top as well. Every hospital is evolving in that. CUH, the Mercy, Beaumont, all of them together. There’s no exceptions to that. I have very strong confidence in the care, and very strong confidence in the consultants, the healthcare workers right across the board, nurses, midwives, CUMH. There’s exceptionally good care.”

Concerns over CUH president

Ms Carroll MacNeill did not state whether Andy Phillips, the HSE’s most senior executive in the area, would deal with disciplinary action after he stated at an August conference that he had actually been asked to have “really particular” discussions with CUH management by the Taoiseach’s workplace.

In a declaration to the Irish Times on Saturday, Mr Phillips stated he “did not get any directions from either the Taoiseach or Minister for Health concerning what I ought to state in this discussion” and was sorry for stating so throughout a “heated discussion”.

Asked whether Ms Kearney was being penalized, Ms Carroll MacNeill stated: “There’s no concern of that.”

“What I’ve done is highlighted the variety of extra individuals, for instance, that have actually been worked with by CUH this year. Which the number, newest number that I had is 324. And the factor that matters to highlight is the context versus all of the other design 4 medical facilities.”

– Paul Hosford Deputy Political Editor