Fresh demand for HIQA to investigate segregation procedures at Mayo hospital

A renewed call has been made for HIQA to investigate segregation procedures at Mayo University Hospital.

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, a member of the HSE West Forum, said an urgent independent assessment is required to establish the extent of crossover between Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 cases at the facility.

The Castlebar-based representative expressed disappointment with a statement issued yesterday evening by the Saolta Hospital Group in response to growing community concerns over the matter.

Those concerns have been raised by a number of bereaved families, members of the nursing staff, local elected and party representatives as well as others.

Councillor Kilcoyne said he was left confused by the Saolta Hospital Group's failure to answer specific questions submitted by Mid West Radio on the matter - and now an audit is needed by HIQA to bring clarity to the situation.

He said he was worried by the use of the phrase: 'to the greatest extent possible, patients who were suspected of having Covid-19 or were confirmed of having Covid-19 were kept physically separate from other patients in the hospital'. 

"What exactly does 'to the greatest extent possible' mean?"

He further stated: "I don't know why direct questions, like those articulated by nursing staff on RTÈ Radio One's Drivetime programme, were not addressed.

"I and many others, including bereaved families, have been seeking answers but they are not forthcoming. 

"I am still awaiting answers to questions I raised at a conference call on May 6 with HSE representatives in respect the hospital.

"People are still complaining to me that crossover is continuing at the facility and this is very distressing.

"We need HIQA to come in and conduct an assessment of segregation procedures and the Saolta Hospital Group should be supportive of this happening," he added.