Latest news with #hospitalmanagement
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Wexford General Hospital hit with covid-19 outbreak
Wexford General Hospital has been hit for the second time in two months with an outbreak of covid-19, which is impacting on some wards. Services at the 280 bed-hospital are not affected and visiting is being permitted. Advertisement The situation will remain under review according to hospital management. Hospital management is asking members of the public not to visit if they are experiencing respiratory and/or covid-19 symptoms. The wearing of masks may be required in areas of the hospital. Visiting will be in accordance with hospital visiting hours other than in exceptional compassionate circumstances. Visitors are being asked to avoid congregating in hospital corridors, waiting areas or the hospital entrance. 'The measures are temporary but necessary to safeguard the health of patients, staff and visitors,' added management. At the end of June the hospital was also hit with an outbreak.
Irish Times
07-08-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Children's Health Ireland spent years challenging ‘defiant' staff, says resigning doctor
The board of Children's Health Ireland (CHI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) spent years challenging 'defiant' and influential staff at Ireland's children's hospitals before allegations of a toxic working culture came to light. As former CHI board member Dr Gavin Lavery resigned from his role amid a number of controversies at the hospital group earlier this year, he warned Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill that threats to safe care of children could not be resolved in the 'current climate,' and the situation was unlikely to improve in the near future. It comes as CHI told the Public Accounts Committee it believed the 'unsubstantiated allegations' in a 2022 report did not meet the threshold of a criminal act. The report, which CHI is refusing to publish for legal reasons, found a 'negative and toxic' work culture and allegations of irregularities in the waiting list management system within the paediatric hospital group. READ MORE The report, which led to a number of resignations from the CHI board, came after two other separate controversies within the organisation over the use of unapproved coil springs in spinal operations and questions about the threshold for hip operations. Dr Gavin Lavery was one of four board members who resigned in May of this year. The departures of Dr Lavery, Brigid McManus, Catherine Guy and Mary Cryan followed the resignation of the board chair, Dr Jim Browne, in April. In his resignation letter to Ms Carroll-MacNeill on May 27th, which was released under Freedom of Information, Dr Lavery said dealing with 'challenging situations and behaviours' had been a part of his professional life for many decades. Dr Lavery said, while the 'vast majority' of those working in CHI go beyond expectations, the actions of 'a small number' were questionable and 'not in the interests of children'. 'These individuals are defiant and, when challenged by the Board and the Executive, have used their position to influence and distract – both inside and outside CHI. The 'noise' has made normal business impossible and has subsumed huge amounts of our energy and resources,' Dr Lavery said. [ Children's Health Ireland report referred to gardaí Opens in new window ] He said the CHI board and the HSE 'have been challenging the above for several years and have had some successes', adding that they had always acted against any known 'threat to the safety of children'. 'However, some of these issues are complex and arise from long standing behaviours. When such threats to safe care are called out, the solutions sometimes require time and space for the necessary processes to play out. The current climate does not allow that time and space, and the situation is not going to improve in the near future.' In her resignation letter on the same day, Ms McManus said the CHI board had worked hard at 'investigating and responding to difficult clinical issues that came to attention'. Ms Guy, in her resignation letter, told the Health Minister the CHI board 'deserves the support of Government in its ongoing work and in dealing with further challenges to come'. Ms Cryan's resignation letter, sent on May 21st, was only one line: 'I wish to advise you that I am bringing forward my retirement from the board of CHI, which is due in December 2025, to take effect immediately.' And as he stepped down, Dr Browne described his time as chair as a 'rewarding if challenging experience'. Separately, CHI has sent a number of documents to the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee following additional questions that TDs had for the hospital group. CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent shared legal advice that CHI had received which it said supported its decision not to publish the internal report. The legal advice was shared on the condition it was not circulated beyond PAC. Ms Nugent said it was 'not in any way our intention to hide the truth, or hide behind legalities to avoid disclosure'. PAC had also asked CHI if it had considered if the issues raised in the report had broken the law. The HSE has separately decided to refer the unpublished report to the gardaí. 'The unsubstantiated allegations in the report were investigated by CHI and they did not meet the threshold for criminality,' Ms Nugent said.
ABC News
01-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Three bosses at UK hospital where Lucy Letby worked arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter
Three senior managers from the hospital where former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering babies worked, have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, British police said. Letby, 35, is serving life in jail after being found guilty of murdering seven newborns and attempting to murder eight more between June 2015 and June 2016 while working in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northern England. The nurse has maintained her innocence throughout but has been refused permission to appeal against her convictions. She has been told she will never be released. Following the trial, police began to investigate possible corporate manslaughter offences at the hospital, an inquiry that was later widened to consider if individuals might be guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, who is leading the investigation, said three unnamed members of the hospital's senior leadership team had been arrested on Monday local time. They have subsequently been released on police bail pending further inquires. "Both the corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter elements of the investigation are continuing and there are no set timescales for these," Mr Hughes said in a statement. He added that the police investigation into whether Letby had committed more crimes at the hospital and at another unit where she had previously worked was ongoing. Cheshire Police said the case does not have any impact on Letby's 2023 convictions for murder and attempted murder. Letby, who testified that she never harmed a child, has continued to proclaim her innocence and support for her has grown as legal and scientific experts have questioned the circumstantial and statistical evidence used at her trial. A panel of international medical experts disputed the evidence against her and her lawyer said she was wrongly convicted. A judge who oversaw a public inquiry seeking accountability of staff and management at the hospital is expected to publish her findings this fall. Justice Kathryn Thirlwall said at the outset of the inquiry that she would not review Letby's conviction, but take a deeper look into how failures led babies to repeatedly be harmed at the hospital. As that inquiry was underway earlier this year, an independent panel of more than a dozen medical experts issued a report that found no sign of a crime and concluded natural causes or bad medical care led to the demise of each of the newborns. "In summary, then, ladies and gentlemen, we did not find any murders," Dr Shoo Lee, a retired neonatologist from Canada, said at a London news conference in February. Letby's lawyers and three former executives at the hospital unsuccessfully petitioned Judge Thirlwall to halt the public inquiry after the medical panel released its findings. Letby, who lost two bids to appeal her convictions, now has her case before the Criminal Case Review Commission, which reviews possible miscarriages of justice and could lead to one another shot at an appeal. The Crown Prosecution Service has said two juries convicted Letby and three appellate judges had rejected her arguments that the prosecution expert evidence was flawed. Reuters/AP
Zawya
29-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Minister of Health visits Health-Insights pavilion at Africa Health ExCon
Health-Insights Participates in Africa Health to Strengthen Its Presence Locally and Internationally Eng. Mostafa El Shafei: Health-Insights Provides Its Solutions to Approximately 58 Hospitals in Egypt and Aims to Increase This Number to Nearly 200 Within a Year Cairo: As part of its strategy to strengthen its presence in both local and international markets, Health-Insights (SAE), a leading provider of hospital systems, software, and healthcare technology solutions, participated in Africa Health ExCon, held in Cairo from June 25 to 27. The company's participation aimed to showcase its latest products and smart solutions designed to improve the efficiency of medical services and healthcare facility management. Engineer Mustafa El Shafei, Chairman of Health-Insights, said in press statements today that the Health-Insights pavilion was honoured by a visit from Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, and Dr. Hisham Steit, Chairman of the Unified Procurement Authority. They were briefed on the company's latest systems aimed at transforming hospitals and clinics into an integrated digital system. He added that numerous African and Arab delegations visited the company's pavilion and expressed their great interest in localizing these technologies in their countries to enhance the efficiency of the healthcare sector. El Shafei pointed out that his company's efforts are in line with the Egyptian state's plan to promote the digital transformation strategy in the healthcare sector to improve the quality of life for citizens and facilitate patients' lives. El Shafei explained that the company provides innovative technological solutions to approximately 58 clients in the hospital sector and aims to reach approximately 200 clients within the year. For his part, Dr. Emad El Malki, the company's legal advisor, said: "We are pleased to participate in the Africa Health ExCon exhibition, which represents an ideal platform to showcase our technological innovations." which aims to develop the digital infrastructure of the healthcare sector in Egypt and Africa. He added that the company offers smart solutions that contribute to improving the efficiency of medical services and facilitating the management of medical resources, which positively impacts the quality of services provided to patients. Al-Maliki emphasized the Egyptian state's commitment to integrating modern technology into the healthcare system. 'The interaction of African and Arab delegations with our solutions during the exhibition reflects their confidence in the company's capabilities, and we are ready to provide the necessary technical support to implement these systems in their countries,' he explained. Dr. Wissam Heggy, Chief Medical Officer at Health-Insights, said that the company seeks to strengthen its presence in African and Arab markets, offering integrated solutions that can be scaled to suit the needs of each country. She explained that Health-Insights is committed to its pioneering role in advancing technological innovation to serve patients and improve the quality of healthcare. She noted that participating in the exhibition is part of Health-Insights' strategy to build strategic partnerships with governments and the private sector to achieve digital transformation in healthcare, noting that Africa Health ExCon is one of the most important medical events on the continent, bringing together experts and decision-makers to discuss ways to develop the health sector. It is worth noting that the integrated technological solutions offered by the company represent an integrated system capable of managing health facilities with high efficiency, from initial operation to daily management, covering all operational aspects, including: - Integrated medical diagnostic and therapeutic systems - Intelligent administrative systems for managing human resources and inventory - Data analysis systems and key performance indicators (KPIs) - Financial accounting solutions and accurate cost calculations - Clinical decision support systems to improve treatment outcomes - Patient satisfaction measurement platforms using intelligent facial expression analysis technologies - ERP solutions and programs - Unified medical record management
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Cancer surgeries are getting delayed at Orange Hospital to hit waitlist targets, doctor claims
Inside one of NSW's largest regional hospitals doctors allege there are patient care breaches that contravene NSW health policy. Those alleged breaches include downgrading the urgency of cancer patients and delaying their surgery without clinical justification. Doctors say hospital management is to blame and also accuse them of not bringing on an extra breast cancer surgeon because it would create more demand. Doctor Rob Knox is a general surgeon and the current director of the surgical department at Orange Hospital. He first suspected something was not right in early 2024 as he prepared to operate on some of his cancer patients. While checking patient notes he saw that the urgency of their operations had been changed from the highest to the lowest priority. "When I've rocked up on the day I've seen a different category against these patients' names," Dr Knox told 7.30. "So I've questioned [hospital] management and said, 'Well hang on, what's happened here'?" He had allocated his cancer patients a Category One surgery, which meant their operations must be done within 30 days. He says those surgeries had been changed to Category Four, which means the patients were "not ready for care". "When directly challenging senior management they've dug in their heels and they've said, 'Actually no, we're allowed to do this,'" Dr Knox said. The encounter prompted Dr Knox to start keeping records of discrepancies and he asked his fellow surgeons to do the same. "We started documenting these issues and challenging management and, unfortunately, rather than advocate for patient care, decisions were taken and responses given that seem to be more protective of the system than of the patients we're supposed to be serving," he said. Since then the surgeons say they have fielded numerous requests from hospital management to change the patients' clinical urgency status, so they don't "breach" their recommended waiting time. In some instances operations have been reclassified without the doctors' approval. 7.30 has seen emails sent to doctors at Orange Hospital, which include requests to suspend an operation and to make a patient "not ready for care". Another surgeon was contacted to seek approval to extend a patient's 30-day wait to 90 days due to a lack of theatre space. Dr Knox says the re-categorisations contravene NSW Health policy. "The policy is quite clear that it should not be influenced by the availability of hospital resources or even the surgeon's availability." The NSW Health policy lists five options that must be considered by hospitals to avoid breaching waiting times. These include providing additional theatre time or referring a patient to another doctor. "Postponements or delays to surgery must be avoided and only occur when all alternative options are exhausted," the policy states. In an email to a senior manager in February 2024, Dr Knox challenged the hospital's actions. "Whilst we don't really make a noise if non-cancer cases breach their clinical urgency by a few days, we should and do for cancers," he wrote. He says health data shows a four-week delay in surgery can result in a five per cent increased mortality rate. "It's very hard to say that a delay of one to two to five days makes a difference, but undoubtedly on a broader level it does, and to one individual, it is going to make a difference." The Orange Health Service declined 7.30's request for an interview but in a statement a spokesperson for the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD) said it "rejects claims that surgeons have been asked to reclassify surgical procedures and prioritise waiting list targets over patient care". "The five options described in NSW Health policy to assist in managing patients within the required time-frames are activated where possible but may be affected by … the availability of surgical and other staff, appropriate theatre facilities," the spokesperson said. The LHD said the number of patients waiting longer for a planned surgery than clinically recommended did not "constitute a wait time blow out". NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said he had been assured by the hospital that it was complying with the guidelines. "I want to be clear that shouldn't be happening, that's against clinical guidelines. We have a framework in place," Mr Park told 7.30. "My advice is that that hospital and the staff have been following that. "If there are issues where that has not been the case, then I'd want them investigated. "What we expect is patients' clinical care to be first, second and third KPI. That's what I expect as the health minister." One patient who faced an anxious wait is Katrina Reiss. The young mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2024 and underwent chemotherapy and immunotherapy before being booked in for surgery last December. She had worked in the hospital's surgery admissions office for 19 years, before leaving in 2021. She knew she could expect her surgery date within days of handing in her form. Her fears escalated when she did not have a date more than a week later. "I knew that it wasn't exactly the way that it was supposed to go," Ms Reiss told 7.30. "I was starting to get concerned, because we were coming up to the Christmas closure time as well. "I was really worried that I wasn't going to be getting my surgery within the 30-day period. "I knew the policy so well, and I knew how the system should have worked. I was able to advocate for myself, and I was confident enough to be able to go to my surgeon and say, 'this isn't right, can you help me?' Ms Reiss had her surgery within the 30-day time-frame last December and is now cancer free. But it is this lead up to Christmas which is when surgeons are under the greatest pressure. "There's a lot more cancer diagnosis that happens at that time," urological surgeon Dr Clair Whelan said. "People put off their diagnosis, something they've been ignoring a lump, bleeding, and then by the time they get to December they finally decide to go to their GP and get that thing sorted. "Those are the times when we're most stretched to be able to get cases done in theatre and to be asked to re-classify patients according to urgency." Dr Whelan was director of surgery before Dr Knox and shares his concerns about how waiting lists are being managed. She says while she has never had patients re-categorised without her approval, any requests she does receive put her in an impossible position. "Sometimes it becomes really difficult, particularly when we are talking about those cancer patients, to say, 'well, I can't pick that one of these cancers is going to be more urgent,' because sometimes we don't know that until after the [surgery]," she said. Dr Whelan said some patients have taken the matter into their own hands. "We certainly had examples of patients towards the end of last year who removed themselves from the public hospital waiting list, and what the hospital sees is, 'great, those patients no longer need their operation,'" she said. The latest data from the Bureau of Health Information in late 2024 shows 37 patients waited longer for their surgery at Orange Hospital than the recommended time-frame, which is an increase since the previous reporting period. But Dr Knox said the doctors' own records showed the hospital's figures did not reflect what they were seeing. Dr Knox says the wait begins from the time people are referred to a specialist surgeon. "That waiting time has increased significantly," he said. "We've looked at the data here and the average in Australia is that about 39 per cent or 35 per cent of patients wait more than one month to see a specialist," he said. Dr Knox's waiting list records, seen by 7.30, also show that for diagnostic procedures, such as colonoscopies, many patients could not be treated within the recommended time-frame. "It's what we often would term the 'hidden wait list,"' he said. The surgeons believe the waiting list pressures are being caused by access to operating theatres and doctor vacancies. Orange recently lost its only vascular surgeon and one of Dr Whelan's colleagues moved interstate, leaving her and one other urological surgeon servicing a large swathe of western NSW. When Dr Knox asked at a hospital clinical council meeting in August 2024 about the appointment of an additional breast cancer surgeon to cope with demand, he was shocked by a senior manager's reply. "Obviously we're not generating pathology out there in the community. We're not walking around with ray guns, zapping people to try and generate pathology. "The meaning of that is that we will generate a waitlist of patients and move this hidden waitlist into a very visible waitlist that then becomes the hospital's liability to deal with. "The obvious question is, who benefits from this? It's not patients, it's not clinicians, it's the health system." The spokesperson for the Western NSW Local Health District said "a business case was being prepared to examine the current and future vascular surgical demand". Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30 here.
