LAST UPDATE | 11 Jan 2023

TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the overall governance and management issues of “the overall edifice of the HSE” need to be looked at. 

Speaking to reporters following today’s Cabinet meeting at Farmleigh House this evening, he said: 

“I think we need to evaluate and look at governance issues and management issues within the overall edifice of the HSE. It is not acceptable for people to be in the situation in which they have found themselves.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the Government could not be blamed for what is a wave of infection affecting the entire Northern Hemisphere.

“What we are seeing is a wave of illness affecting the entire Northern Hemisphere in a very long time,” he said. “That is without taking into account that people’s immunity is not as strong as it would have been because of the period of social isolation. We see Northern Ireland struggling, we see Britain struggling. I have never seen the NHS under so much pressure.”

He said emergency departments in Germany are also under pressure while French president Emmanuel Macron has talked of wanting “to end the endless crisis in health.”

“Whatever you want to blame us for, I don’t think you can blame us for all those things happening in other jurisdictions,” said Varadkar.

“So this is something that is very serious, a very big wave of infection that is affecting all of the Northern Hemisphere. And we are no different.

The comments come after the Irish Cancer Society warned that extreme overcrowding in hospitals is putting efforts to catch cancer cases early “at risk.” 

The organisation is also concerned that people with cancer symptoms are putting off seeking medical attention due to the current levels of overcrowding. 

The society’s Director of Advocacy Rachel Morrogh said there is a risk that those experiencing cancer symptoms will put off getting medical attention because “they do not think it is serious enough amid the ongoing hospital overcrowding crisis, and the call for only urgent cases to attend Emergency Departments.” 

“People in treatment may also be worried about contacting or attending hospitals if they are feeling unwell, due to fears of being admitted through Emergency Departments. 

“We are very concerned about the chill effect this is having on them calling their cancer teams,” she added. 

Morogh said that cancer detection is time critical and any delays in a diagnosis being picked up can negatively impact the chances of a good outcome for patients. 

The Irish Cancer Society is now concerned that the current crisis facing hospitals will result in cases of delayed diagnosis of cancer. 

“We already know that around 1 in 10 cancer cases expected to be picked up in 2020 were not due to the effects of the pandemic, which has continued to be a factor in the last two years.

“We don’t want the current crisis to jeopardise progress made since the start of the pandemic in encouraging people to seek medical help when they need it,” Morogh said. 

She called on the Government to take immediate action to tackle the long waits facing patients, and pointed out that the health service is “woefully under-resourced” to meet the pressures emerging from the growing number of people being diagnosed with cancer. 

The Irish Cancer Society is urging anyone who is experiencing symptoms that are unexplained, unusual or persistent, or who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, to please still seek medical advice. 

“If that isn’t possible, please contact the Irish Cancer Society to speak to a nurse who can give information, support and advice for free on 1800 200 700.

“Even amid the current difficulties accessing care, nobody should suffer alone at home and we don’t want anyone to be afraid, so please pick up the phone and make contact with us,” Morogh further said.

Today the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly called for expressions of interest for membership of the Cancer Patient Advisory Committee, which was set up in 2019 to provide input into the development of programmes for patients with cancer. 

It is primarily made up of people with direct experience of cancer treatment, either as patients or as supporters of cancer patients, or those who support cancer patients as part of their work. Details on how to apply can be found here. 

Hospital overcrowding 

A record 931 patients in Irish hospitals were without beds last week, the highest figure ever recorded by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), amidst a rise in Covid-19 and influenza cases. 

University Hospital Limerick has been the most overcrowded hospital in the country in recent weeks. 

Mid-West Public Health said yesterday that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to circulate widely in the community, after seeing “nearly 300 cases in the past four weeks” across Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary.

Calls for a mask mandate

INMO has called for a stronger mandate on mask wearing, warning that the country’s smaller hospitals are starting to see a “higher number” of patients on trolleys which it said is having a “devastating impact”. 

General Secretary of the INMO Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the union is once again calling on the chief medical officer to issue stronger public health advice in relation to mandated mask-wearing.

“It is our view that it is the responsible thing for policymakers and Government to do at this vital juncture when hospitals are not coping and people’s lives are at a higher risk.

“We know that there is a surge in the spread of RSV, particularly in the Midwest. Our hospitals, especially those in the Midwest and on the Western seaboard, cannot sustain additional pressure from avoidable illnesses,” she said. 

However, yesterday Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has stated that the chief medical officer has not advocated for a mask mandate. 

He told reporters that Professor Breda Smyth has, however, advised that people who are using public transport or in health care settings and other crowded setting should consider wearing a mask. 

“What is encouraging certainly when it comes to Covid and RSV, I think we are seeing the incidences peak. We are seeing the numbers in hospital with Covid falling, which is a good sign. But obviously we certainly haven’t seen flu numbers peak at this stage,”  the Taoiseach further said. 

With reporting by Christina Finn