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'Serious issues of concern' at Dublin children's hospital

'Serious issues of concern' at Dublin children's hospital

RTÉ News​16-06-2025
A confidential, internal report into a children's hospital in Dublin uncovered "bullying", "significant risk" and "serious issues of concern".
The review of Children's Health Ireland (CHI) found that the unnamed hospital's workplace culture had "the potential to put patients at risk".
The report was compiled in 2021 and completed the following year.
It has been widely leaked in recent weeks.
A summary was published today with CHI saying they are legally constrained from releasing the entire document.
"The findings primarily focused on issues related to interpersonal relationships, training programmes, patient management, professional conduct and adherence to standards," the summary stated.
The summary noted that the report "was never intended to be made public", but the summary is being made available "to ensure that a wider audience" can examine it, while "balancing the needs of a confidential process".
"The report stated that a negative culture can impact service delivery, department dynamics and staff experience and has the potential to put patients at risk," it added.
NTPF issues identified
The culture "lacked governance and robust processes, and was influenced by strong and challenging personalities", which resulted in a "[high] attrition rate among support staff due to bullying issues".
"A significant risk was identified where only one employee managed the needs of a complex tertiary speciality", the summary reveals, noting that this "created a vulnerability in this specialty," it said.
The report also flagged "a number of issues in relation to a National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) outpatient waiting list initiative".
"Certain NTPF-funded clinics did not adhere to NTPF standards of chronological scheduling (i.e. seeing the longest waiting patients first)," it siad.
The summary said that some patients "could have been seen...within the existing day-to-day service" had matters been handled in a "more proactive way".
It noted "the possibility that this could have led to any negative outcomes for patients".
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