A source close to Wexford General Hospital has said that the Maternity Unit is “in a state of crisis” due to staffing shortages.
The Special Care baby Unit is especially affected due to the shortages in special care nurses needed to provide the necessary care to high risk babies in the hospital 24 /7 . The unit requires 12 special care nurses over that time period.
The source claims the unit is short staffed on a daily basis with management not employing nurses quick enough in order to fill newly vacant positions. It is said to be a health and safety issue for patients and staff who are over worked and suffering burn out. Nurses and midwives are receiving calls on their days off and crying due to mistreatment by management. Some suggest the special care baby unit be closed until a solution to staffing issues be solved.
In response to the HSE have issued a statement to South East Radio News :
“Staffing across all hospitals in Ireland is an ongoing challenge. Wexford General Hospital (WGH) is engaged in a rigorous recruitment drive for all services, including Maternity.
WGH is committed to the delivery of high quality and safe services for its patients. The Hospital has been engaged with the Ireland East Hospital Group to inform strategic workforce planning to ensure adequate numbers and appropriately experienced staff are employed to deliver high quality care to patients. Midwifery recruitment is on-going locally at Wexford General Hospital.
This involves the Hospital utilising a multiplicity of methods to ensure that staffing levels match the needs of the service, including the ongoing use of agency and overtime where temporary gaps exist in a service.
The hospital makes every effort to avoid any disruption and is working to ensure that the safest, quality patient care continues to be provided at all times. “
