'Heatherside staff shoring up shortages in Mallow'
Thursday September 02 2010
A UNION representative has complained that lack of staff at Mallow General Hospital (MGH) has resulted in the drafting of workers from a nearby mental health facility to keep a ward open.
SIPTU representative Liam Allen said that because staff at Mallow Hospital needed to take holidays either a ward or unit at the hospital faced closure because of consequent staff shortages.
Three staff at nearby Heatherside Hospital — which, itself is facing imminent closure — have been temporarily transferred to Mallow ensuring that staff could take holidays. The situation has spurred Mr Allen to appeal with the HSE to put an end to the recruitment embargo.
"Hospital workers are under intense pressure, the embargo should be lifted," said Mr Allen.
Mr Allen's claims come in the wake of the announcement by the Health Information and Quailty Authority (HIQA) that it was launching an investigation into MGH because of its own concerns for the quality of patient care in Mallow.
However, a HSE spokesperson has denied that a ward at Mallow Hospital was closed or that there are any plans to.
Meanwhile, the closure of Heatherside mental health hospital in Buttevant remains in the pipeline leaving 42 staff left with no option but transfer to Cork city.
The HSE have said that 'health and safety fears' at Heatherside Hospital were behind their decision to transfer 33 residents and 42 staff to a newly built unit at St Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork city.
The HSE said recently that they were waiting on the builder to 'sign off' shortly on the new unit at St Mary's before fitting it our for the Heatherside patients. This is expected to take place before the end of the year.
Mr Allen is calling on staff at Heatherside to be redeployed in North Cork adding that the majority of Heatherside staff would remain in Buttevant if given an option.
- LOUISE MCCARTHY
