Keogh welcomes engagement with minister on Mayo hospital
DEPUTY Keira Keogh has welcomed a detailed and proactive response from Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill regarding the ongoing crisis at Mayo University Hospital’s Emergency Department, which has faced the highest levels of congestion among Model 3 hospitals in Ireland.
Minister Carroll MacNeill acknowledged that Mayo University Hospital has been in the red or ‘unsafe’ threshold for 80.2% of days so far this year, meaning 10 or more patients were on trolleys at 8 a.m. This is the most severe situation nationally, with the next most affected hospital at 62%.
“As winter approaches, the risks associated with poor patient flow will only intensify,” said Deputy Keogh. “It is now imperative that Mayo University Hospital rebalances its weekly activity to improve patient safety, reduce pressure on staff, and ensure timely care for the people of Mayo.”
The minister made an unscheduled visit to Mayo University Hospital on Saturday, August 23, where she observed 47 patients in the Emergency Department, including 20 admitted patients waiting for beds. She emphasised that patient flow must be actively managed seven days a week, with balanced admissions and discharges to avoid congestion.
Data from the hospital showed a stark imbalance:
* 16 discharges on Saturday, September 13.
* Just 1 discharge on Sunday, September 14, compared to 47 discharges on Monday, September 15.
The lack of weekend discharges place strain on the Emergency Department and delays ambulance turnaround, impacting community care.
HSE CEO Bernard Gloster alongside the minister has deployed national expert support to the west north/west region and has emphasised focus on looking at enhanced emergency care performance insights, maximising nursing initiatives, improving patient flow, implementing the public-only consultant contract and enhancing operational efficiencies at MUH.
The minister understands public perception, but insists Mayo University Hospital is not understaffed, outlining it has:
* 1,502 whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff, ranking 7th among 17 Model 3 hospitals
* 31% staffing increase since 2019, with 352 additional WTE staff
* 617 nurses in post, with 47 vacancies, mostly replacements
A requested intervention from the minister saw the chief nursing officer make an assessment and recommend approval be given to recruit 82 additional WTE staff by year-end despite the application not being made with the estimates for 2025.
Phase one of the Safe Staffing Framework (general medical and surgical wards) is nearly complete:
* 27.5 of 29.5 WTE posts in place
* Remaining staff to commence by end of October 2025
Phase two (Emergency Department) had not progressed due to administrative delays. However, following assessment, the required 18.5 WTE posts have now been sanctioned for recruitment.
The minister also noted that TrendCare, a key HSE software system for monitoring staffing needs, is not in use at Mayo University Hospital, representing a gap in operational oversight.
Since the minister publicly committed to writing to Mayo’s public representatives on September 19, there has been notable improvement, Deputy Keogh continued:
* In the 25 days since, only 6 red days have occurred
* Just 3 red days so far in October, compared to 17 out of the first 19 days in September
“This shows that focused attention and accountability can lead to real change,” said Deputy Keogh.
The minister concluded that Mayo University Hospital’s challenges cannot be explained by staffing levels or demographics alone. The core issue lies in how staff are deployed and how patient flow is managed across the hospital.
She believes that there is excellent staff working at MUH and with improved patient flow, the hospital can enhance patient safety and become a safer and easier place to work.
Said Deputy Keogh: “This is not a simple binary issue of resources. Performance improvement and public safety in Mayo University Hospital depend on a combination of policy reform, resource allocation, and operational performance.
“I thank the minister for her engagement, and I will continue to work alongside hospital management for sustained improvements at MUH for the people of Mayo.”