HIQA RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT CORK AND LIMERICK HOSPITALS
HIQA inspections at hospitals in Cork and Limerick have raised concerns about hand hygiene, cleanliness, infections and overcrowding.
The findings were made during visits to University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital – including the maternity hospital – in November 2014 and January this year.
HIQA wants a review of the management and monitoring of hand hygiene practices at both University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital, after initial inspections found they were not up to standard.
The Authority is warning both need to improve ‘considerably’ to hit national hand hygiene targets, set by the HSE.
The first inspections in November also identified risks in relation to the cleanliness of patient equipment and the environment in some wards at the hospitals, but there were improvements by the January re-inspections.
In the University Hospital Limerick report, HIQA highlighted the ongoing need to tackle multidrug resistant infections, but said a significant amount of work had been done.
It says it’s contacted the HSE at senior level to advise them of the extra cost to the hospital in tackling the issue.
Concerns were also raised about overcrowding in Limerick, with reports from staff that this was a near permanent situation due to overcrowding throughout the hospital.
HIQA says both hospitals must now revise and amend their quality improvement plans, and publish them on their websites in 6 weeks.
