Tallaght University Hospital ‘actively’ seeking seven new consultants
By Mary Dennehy
THERE are just under 350 vacant consultant posts across hospitals nationwide, nine of which are at Tallaght University Hospital – which has confirmed to The Echo that it is currently recruiting to fill seven consultant posts.
Last week, Dublin South West Sinn Fein TD Sean Crowe has expressed his concerns following the publication of figures through a Dáil question, which show that there are 349 vacant consultant posts across the country’s hospitals.
While Tallaght is among the better resourced hospitals, according to Deputy Crowe nine consultant posts remain vacant.
“According to the figures there are at least 349 vacant consultant posts in hospitals. In some areas the number involved is at crisis level,” Deputy Crowe said.
“It is impacting negatively on patient waiting lists, on patients’ health and on other staff within the hospital system.
“It is also causing delays in accessing treatment which in turn is putting patients’ lives at risk.”
He added: “Tallaght University Hospital is among the better resourced, but nonetheless waiting lists for some specialties are breaking records, while nine vacant consultant posts remain vacant.
“All of these impact on essential health services provided in Tallaght.
“The HSE has tried to paper over some of the cracks by employing doctors not on the specialist register as consultants and employing locum/agency consultants, but short-term solutions are clearly not delivering for patients as lists are getting longer and many are patients having to travel abroad for care.
“The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, needs to urgently address the recruitment and retention crisis regarding consultants and other key staff.”
Reducing waiting list times
In a response to The Echo, a spokesman for Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) said that the local health facility is currently recruiting for seven consultant posts – with a number of initiatives also reducing waiting list times for patients.
In relation to the recruitment process, three of the seven vacancies are for new posts – which have been funded in response to requests by the hospital for increased support given the volume of patients it treatments.
The seven posts being “actively” recruited for include a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Consultant Physician in Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Consultant Otolaryngologist, Consultant Radiologist, Consultant Emergency Medicine (Adult) and Consultant Orthopaedic Medicine (specialising in spinal surgery).
“The hospital has identified key actions which will assist with the reduction in waiting lists, with particular focus on patients waiting over 12 months while maintaining access for urgent patients,” the TUH spokesman said.
“Some of these actions include the recruitment of consultants in ENT, Orthopaedics and Neurology.
“Advance Nurse Practitioners have also been recruited to assist with waiting-list initiatives and a hospital group approach [TUH is part of the Dublin midlands Hospital Group] with new ENT, Urology and Neurology clinics established at Naas General Hospital.
“The hospital is also working closely with the Acute Hospital Division and National Treatment Purchase Fund to identify additional resources required to assisting in reducing waiting lists, including a focus specialities such as Urology and Dermatology.”
He added: “There is also a focus on joint initiative with local GPs on new patient pathways.
“Combined, these efforts resulted in a 10 per cent drop in the waiting list over a six-month period and a 44 per cent drop in patients waiting greater than 18 months.
“That aside the hospital regrets the length of time patients have to wait for an appointment.”
