Laois hospital service dilution fears with surgical doctor transfer
Portlaoise hospital directed to transfer doctors
A new ‘shared service’ model of care involving hospitals and Tullamore and Portlaoise is the reason for the transfer of doctors to Offaly, according to the HSE.
A letter seen by the Leinster Express / Laois Live was sent to Eileen Burke, manager of the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRPH), directing the transfer of doctors to facilitate the new model where all complex surgery is carried out in Tullamore.
Carole Broadbank, Integrated Healthcare Area, premised the letter on previous discussions about the development of elective capability in MRHP.
"We now need to commence the move to the shared service model across Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore (MRHT) and MRHP that has been agreed.
"To enable that in the first instance, I am directing that two SHO (senior house officer) posts and one registrar post from the MRHP cohort of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHD) in surgery be moved into rotational roles with MRHT, before the next handover occurs.
"This sets the groundwork in train for the development of the new model and will ensure attraction to posts where individuals will have exposure to complex surgery on a rotational basis in addition to their existing experience in MRHP.
"Please can you work this up and confirm to me when you have agreed with all stakeholders with regard to the posts that will be involved,” concluded the letter sent on June 18.
However, the Leinster Express / Laois Live understand that the change has not been agreed by doctors in Portlaoise and it is being forced through to bolster the Offaly hospital’s staffing rather than to support a new model of care.
A senior medical source described what was directed as a dilution of services and a mini-downgrade. The source said it will mean that maternity, paediatrics and medical services that rely on the backup of surgical doctors in emergencies now face uncertainty when seeking a surgical intervention at short notice. It was explained that the changes also represent a u-turn on commitments given more than a decade ago to staff at Portlaoise over the long-term future of surgical services.
It’s claimed that at the time the HSE pledged to work up resources in the Laois hospital to make it a fully integrated part of a rotation of surgical services provided in Portlaoise, Tullamore, St James’s and Tallaght hospitals.
While investment has taken place in other areas of care at Portlaoise hospital, it’s claimed that the surgical situation was allowed to drift but has been brought to a head by the withdrawal of the two Dublin hospitals from the complex surgery rotation.
The HSE decided to address this by concentrating more surgical resources in Tullamore with a promise that Portlaoise would pick up more scheduled surgical work.
It was also claimed that the Laois hospital is being sold short from a financial perspective, as the salaries of the three doctors being transferred will come out of the Portlaoise budget.
Laois TD Seán Fleming called into question the HSE’s stance on surgery after the health authority issued a public statement on the changes arising from claims made by a former Fianna Fáil local election candidate in Portlaoise Naeem Iqbal.
“The HSE Dublin and Midlands Region is committed to the continued development of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a key hospital serving the people of Laois and the wider Midlands.
“With County Laois and the surrounding area experiencing significant population growth, there is a clear need to ensure that local hospital services continue to develop in line with the needs of the communities they serve. The future development of surgical services at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise is an important part of this work.
“The HSE’s objective is to build a strong, sustainable and increasingly comprehensive surgical service at Portlaoise. This will be achieved through a phased and clinically led approach, ensuring that the necessary skills, experience, staffing and infrastructure are in place to support the safe delivery of increasingly complex surgical care closer to home.
“As part of this approach, Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise is working closely with clinicians and colleagues across the Dublin and Midlands Region, including Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. In the interim, complex elective surgical activity will be undertaken in partnership with Tullamore to support the continued development of the Portlaoise surgical team. This collaborative approach will enable surgeons to build their experience and capability while supporting the planned development of surgical services in Portlaoise.
“The HSE Dublin and Midlands Region is committed to a positive future for Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and to ensuring that its services continue to evolve to meet the needs of one of Ireland’s fastest-growing populations,” said the HSE said.
Dep Fleming described it as “meaningless”.