21/10/2014

IAEM Raise Concerns Of Overcrowding When Treating Ebola

The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine (IAEM) has said that they have "serious safety concerns" about the potential threat of Ebola.

The IAEM released a statement on Tuesday morning saying that it is concerned about the HSE's reliance on locum staff, who lack specific training, overcrowding in emergency departments, and insufficient isolation facilities.

In its statement, the Association said: "We know that infectious diseases spread amongst patients and staff in crowded EDs. Such spread has happened with norovirus (winter vomiting bug), TB and most devastatingly with SARS.

"The Association is therefore not reassured by Department of Health or HSE claims of full preparedness given the current crowding situation in most EDs.

"Particularly significant is the fact that hospitals serving our major national airports, namely Beaumont Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital, are most at risk as they have particularly high rates of crowding."

(MH/JP)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

22 January 2014
Subway To Create Almost 2000 Jobs In Expansion
Almost two thousand jobs are to be created in an expansion by the world's largest sandwich chain Subway. The company, headquartered in Connecticut, have said that the expansion will see them target non-traditional locations, understood to include hospitals, universities and petrol stations.
23 November 2015
Fianna Fáil Raise Concerns Over Care Standards In Hospitals
Dignity and basic care standards should be a priority for hospital management, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on health, Billy Kelleher, has said. Deputy Kelleher made the comments following the latest independent report into the care of an 81-year-old man at Beaumont Hospital last December.
09 May 2014
INMO Raise Concerns Over Staffing Levels In Hospitals
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have said that over 8,000 additional nurses are needed to ensure safe staffing levels in the health service.
03 January 2012
Dublin Hospitals Announce Restrictions Over Bug
Two major Dublin hospitals have put in place visiting restrictions because of the winter vomiting disease. St Vincent's University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital said they are asking the public to only make strictly essential visits and announced the closure of a number of beds.
30 September 2019
Armed Support Unit Deployed In Cavan-Monaghan
A new gardaí armed support unit has been established to patrol border region in Cavan-Monaghan. The new unit is to be based in Cavan, and will complement the two other border-based armed units in Dundalk and Donegal. The new unit will be staffed by gardaí taken from other armed support units until new members are fully trained to operate it.