INSPECTORS from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) began a two day unannounced inspection at UHL yesterday. The unannounced inspection is the first since March 2022 and is being carried out as the hospital asked the public to only attend the ED yesterday if really necessary. Hospital Management says 246 patients attended the ED on Monday as it cancelled Elective surgery in Ennis to try to create some bed capacity. Elective care at other hospitals in the group is being reviewed on a day to day basis.
HIQA inspection reports usually take several months to be published. Sinn Fein senator, Paul Gavan, has welcomed the fact that an inspection is taking place and says he hopes the HIQA report will bring radical change in how health care is delivered in the region. The Mid West Hospital Campaign group are also welcoming the inspection and say they hope it will be as honest as the highly critical report based on the March 2022 visit. In that report HIQA highlighted that the region has no model 3 hospital and suggested that such a hospital is required to address overcrowding at UHL.
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