HSE tells tearful mums backlog is hospital's fault
67 children no closer to urgent operations
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Mothers whose children are on waiting lists for urgent surgery wept with frustration as the non-stop war of words over the funding crisis at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin continued to rage yesterday.
Parents like Emer Murphy, whose daughter Jamie is in need of potentially life-saving spinal surgery, and Veronica Behan, who is desperately waiting for an operation date for her son Devinn, had travelled to Leinster House in the hope of hearing Health Service Executive (HSE) chief Brendan Drumm tell them their agony was over.
However, apart from the hope expressed by Prof Drumm at the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children that a closed operating theatre will re-open, they left with no firm timetable for progress on the surgery for 67 young patients in need of spinal operations, even though they are deemed ready for the operation.
Prof Drumm firmly laid the blame for the crisis with Crumlin Hospital and insisted its board and management had chosen to hit patient services when it could save €6m through better housekeeping.
He also told the committee: "We cannot go in and impose anything on Crumlin. We cannot tell them how to do cost saving." And co-operation with the team he plans to set up to oversee the three hospitals can only proceed if the boards of the hospitals agree.
Shortfall
But in a statement last night, the hospital stood firm behind its decision to shut a theatre and close a 25-bed ward because it faced a shortfall of over €9m.
"The hospital did not take this decision lightly," it stated in a clear rebuke to Prof Drumm, who earlier claimed the HSE's hands were tied because Crumlin had an independent board.
Prof Drumm disputed the hospital's €9.6m figure and said it was asked to make savings of €5m, which it could have done by making changes in just three areas that would not directly affect patients.
"The hospital's budget has not been cut by €9m. The most recent figures received from the hospital indicate it will have a year-end shortfall of €100,000. Talk of cutbacks or shortfalls is misplaced because they never existed."
The hospital could save €6m by reducing overtime by €2m by cutting the higher than normal rates it was paying to staff until recently, while not cutting any of the hours of cover. He insisted the hospital was only targeting €500,000 in this area.
Another cut could be realised by dispensing with the €2.2m contingency fund it has for blood costs that are already costing €4.4m. If this €4m was given to St James's Hospital and the service was transferred for managing the blood supply, the €2.2m could be released for more critical services at Crumlin, he said.
He contended that there is the potential to generate additional income from private health insurers -- €2m more than the €10m it is currently receiving.
However, although the HSE was aware of the financial difficulties in Crumlin from early this year, it only sent in one of its financial officers to examine the hospital's finances recently.
And it is only now trying to set up a group -- headed by one of Prof Drumm's advisers John O'Brien -- to oversee the three children's hospitals in Dublin in a bid to release more funds for frontline care.
The parent's frustrations were added to by the contention by Prof Drumm that the closure of the 25-bed ward was justifiable because the hospital has 25 in-patient beds unoccupied daily. Up to May, he said 76 procedures were cancelled due to unavailability of a bed and in only two cases was it due to lack of theatre time. He also denied spinal surgery was cancelled for 14 children.
There are 67 patients in need of spinal surgery who have had their pre-operative work-up assessment and are ready for surgery. "We are going to work with the hospital to finalise a plan that will enable this surgery to be completed without delay," he said.
A number of parents who attended the meeting were hoping for a face-to-face meeting with Prof Drumm, but were disappointed after he failed to exit from the main door of the committee room.
Later, after a plea by Mrs Behan to Prof Drumm's press officer, who said he was unaware they wanted to meet him, a short meeting was arranged. He told them he would work to try to open the closed theatre, but the 25-bed St Joseph's ward would remain shut. They were also promised a meeting with the team he is attempting to set up to oversee the hospitals.
However, last night Crumlin Hospital gave no commitment to re-open the theatre or wards, although a spokesman said cautiously it would "explore" the new proposals for savings put forward by Prof Drumm.
Teresa Shallow of the Save Our Lady's Hospital Campaign last night said parents were "very confused and angry" and she deplored the continued "pass the buck" attitude of both the hospital and the HSE.
Meanwhile, Triona O'Brien, aunt of Jamie Murphy, who is desperately in need of surgery, spoke in Leinster House of the young girl's bravery.
"Her condition is atrocious -- if she is sitting on a chair by herself she falls... she can't get comfortable. Her neck kills her because her body is so pushed out. She has to make a conscious effort to hold her head up and her neck is paining her."
Surgeons in England said the surgery must be done urgently, but she must build up her lung capacity before they can operate, she added
- Eilish O'Regan
