The “sudden and unplanned” downgrade of paediatric services at Tallaght has been strongly criticised by the INMO.
The changes see all acute paediatric surgical services immediately withdrawn at Tallaght, diverting roughly 6,000 additional cases to Crumlin and Temple Street – neither of which have been given additional resources to cope.
This week, Crumlin reported its highest number of patients on trolleys since the pandemic began, as 13 children went without beds on Wednesday.
INMO members contacted the union to express their frustration at the sudden and unexpected downgrade, citing professional concerns for patients.
Further meetings with CHI management and the INMO are planned over the next number of weeks on the impact this decision will have for CHI Tallaght, CHI Crumlin, and CHI Temple Street.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer for CHI Tallaght, Joe Hoolan, said:
This is a sudden and unplanned change. Reconfiguring services in such a frantic manner is simply unsafe. Despite the hospital’s statement implying that this was planned, it has come as a major shock to the frontline.
INMO members only became aware of this when they arrived to work on Monday morning, with no prior warning or discussion. We’ve seen these kinds of no-warning changes made previously in the Northeast and Midwest, but clearly, no lessons have been learned.
Staff and clinicians are left scrambling to develop safe pathways of care for services in Tallaght, Crumlin, and Temple Street – with no extra resources.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer for both CHI at Crumlin and CHI at Temple Street Hospitals, Mary Rose Carroll said:
Our members have been caught unaware of this change. They have not been given extra resources but are expected to cope with thousands of extra acute patients.
Yesterday in Crumlin, the emergency department was overwhelmed. Thirteen children had to go without beds after being admitted. Extra resources should have been in place before this change and are desperately needed now.
This is no way to treat staff, patients, or their families.