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A MENTAL HEALTH nurse who criticised the new psychiatric unit at Cork University Hospital has been placed off-duty indefinitely.
Des McSweeney, a Siptu shop steward, spoke to the media last month about his concerns over patient safety at the facility.
McSweeney said senior management told him he had breached the hospital’s communications policy.
However, the nurse told Morning Ireland today “the real reason” he has been suspended is because he highlighted certain issues.
“I have been gagged in some ways … this is the consequence of speaking up,” he said, claiming that management wanted to keep him and his colleagues from publicly voicing their concerns.
“There is an attempt very much to muzzle us.”
McSweeney said this has created an “intimidating” and “frightening” atmosphere as “some people don’t feel empowered to speak up”, particularly those on temporary contracts.
He wrote to Health Minister Leo Varadkar about the issue on 31 March. Varadkar, who was also on Morning Ireland, said McSweeney “may well have” written to him but he hasn’t seen the correspondence.
“When I know the facts, I’ll certainly give you a response,” the health minister said, adding: “I’ll certainly get it checked out.”
Waiting lists
When questioned about the fact the number of people waiting for medical appointments has passed 400,000 for the first time, Varadkar said this figure includes “people who are waiting one week and two weeks”.
He added that it was “definitely of concern” that about 77,000 people are waiting for more than a year, noting: “Every effort is made to see urgent cases much quicker than that.”
The HSE is working to ensure no one will have to wait more than 18 months by June, and 15 months by the end of 2015.
“I know those targets aren’t good by any means but they are achievable,” Varadkar stated.
In relation to the ongoing row being Hiqa and the HSE over a report into maternity care in Portlaoise Hospital, the health minister said: “I certainly don’t like to see state agencies in conflict and I definitely don’t believe they should be suing each other.”
Varadkar said the report is still in draft stage and he will make sure it is published “within a day or two” of when he receives the final version.
The Coombe is now overseeing maternity services at Portlaoise.
During the interview, Varadkar also described the agreement struck by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), the HSE and the Department of Health to ensure free health care for under 6s as “a very significant breakthrough”.
He said it is “the first step on the road to universal healthcare”, which will be introduced in the coming years.
Completely unacceptable that this man was suspended for speaking his mind. Last time I heard whistleblowers didn’t get suspended and are meant to be protected by law.
Not on a HSE contract.
He had breached the hospitals communications policy? Was that because he emailed Leo Varadkar? I too thought whistleblowers were protected. Imagine a nurse speaking up because he’s concerned for patient safety – he deserves a medal for speaking up not indefinate suspension. First world taxes – third world services, that’s what Ireland has become.
Totally agree with you fair play to him having used mental health services you would be appalled at the cover up that goes on and in some acute settings the total lack of safety and concern for patients
Varadkar looks like a rabbit in headlights. He’s as useless , and helpless as his predecessors. Seems like he didn’t bother to read, or reply to Des McSweeney’s letter. Mental Health as usual treated as low priority by the Government. The Staff in Mental Health units have a difficult, thankless, and unenviable job, and Des deserves praise for his action,and not sanction.
Annd the minister blaming begins…..
It doesn’t matter who the minister is, the cycle goes Minister gets appointed->minister gets blame->minister gets replaced.
Meanwhile the “yes minister, no minister” public servants nod their heads, do what they want, and take none of the blame.
God forbid some little upstart shop steward ruins their system….
There is a whistle blowers charter set up to protect people like this chap. Lets see what Leo Veruca will do as he was caught on the hop. Maybe the Journal could keep in touch with chap to follow up on the issue.
18 months to get a mental health assessment ?? That’s shocking ..I’m England is only about a 3 weeks/month for non urgent cases
The why can’t we save those that are intent on suicide? Love to see them helped to,cope if possible.
Varadkar is as big a joke as Reilly.
400,0000 – image being in pain in a supposed first world country – yet Fine Gael / Labour want to give tax cuts to their rich friends and spend money on water meters – scandalous !
My mate wanted to buy a packet of Lemsip and a packet of Panadol in Lidl a few weeks ago – the cashier said ‘NO’ – can’t buy two paracetemol products together- so he went next door to buy one of them — COMPLETELY STUPID RULES BY THESE USELESS FINE GAEL/Labour IDIOTS !!!!!
Varadkar, Fine Gael and Labour are totally out of touch – loads of regulation but NO services and we the people suffer.
ok I got an extra zero there – soz.
This is a disgrace. We have nursing staff being sacked for advocating on behalf of their patients, something everyone of us would than them for doing if we, or someone we loved were the patient yet you can be sure the coverup has begun.
Yesterday we heard that our nations flagship retailer is freely able to ignore their staffs wish to union representation and when they are forced to strike following on from this they then begin sacking thos staff. All this when Labour ministers hum and haw, find their shoes suddenly very interesting, but stand by doing absolutely nothing. Their only words on the matter, when any can be dragged from them at all, are that jobs and the national interest take priority. What absolute bullshit!!
I’d have more respect from a tree hugging member of the Loony Party if they’d just stand up and treat our Nations people with decency and respect and someone, somewhere have the backbone to say these things are not ok, it isn’t right to sack nurses for doing their damn job, someone has to do it. It sure as Hell isn’t ok to do what Dunnes are getting away with and someone has to say this. The Balls household will not set foot in Dunnes until practice ends.
Most people can’t handle the truth unfortunately and the system is a farce at the best of times.
https://www.tv3.ie/pr_sub.php?type=1&view_pr=724
http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0715/630799-whistleblowers-legislation/
All OK Leo will look into it,doh,remove them all with mass nonpayment and if still there a no vote in endas referendums will force a GE,guaranteed.
Thats crazy !
Leo should be sacked himself
Try a speaking up against any gov department and see where that gets you. we are becoming a fascist state
Seriously! Further proof that we are living in a dictatorship. What was the point of legislating to protect Whistleblowers if they cannot speak freely?
What have Fine Gael & labour been doing to improve the healthcare system when at the end of this governments life we have 400,000 people on waiting list & a percentage of these waiting 18 months??!!
Patients on waiting lists should avail of the EU Cross Border Care Directive (see HSE treatment abroad webpage) to receive prompter healthcare.
Anyone who votes these jokers back in should immediately be referred to for psychiatric assessment!
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