‘Accident waiting to happen’ at University Hospital Galway

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Medical units within University Hospital Galway (UHG) were identified as potential accidents waiting to happen – after an independent inspection found half a dozen emergency exits were blocked by trolleys, chairs and equipment.

An inspection report by the Health and Safety Authority – released to the Galway City Tribune under Freedom of Information (FOI) – warned the West’s largest hospital of a series of breaches of law, including at its temporary Emergency Department.

As well as blocked emergency exits, the HSA highlighted problems with the advice given to staff about the use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to guard against biological hazards, such as Covid-19.

The HSA warned UHG that there was ‘no ventilation’ in the Covid-positive (red stream) Emergency Department waiting room and criticised UHG for its signage, which was inadequate and could “lead to inadvertent exposure to a hazard or biological agent”.

UHG management said it had taken steps to address overcrowding problems of blocked emergency exits but conceded it was “challenging to ensure that compliance is adhered to at all times”.

The HSA wrote to UHG last November, following an inspection of the unit on October 21, and outlined a series of breaches of health and safety legislation.

In correspondence released to the Tribune, the HSA indicated that the HSE Fire Prevention Officer had made UHG aware of its concerns on fire safety as far back as August 2021, but the issues highlighted ‘were not fully addressed’ by the time of the HSA inspection in October.

In an improvement notice issued to UHG, HSA inspector Paul Pearson said he observed a number of emergency exit routes and exits obstructed.

He found the emergency exit door in the Paediatric Emergency Department was obstructed; he found extra trolleys obstructed the main exit route in the Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, which was being used as a non-Covid Emergency Department; the emergency exit of the Acute Surgical Assessment Unit was obstructed; the emergency exit and route on the corridor was obstructed outside the short-stay ward and Acute Medical Assessment Unit; two additional exit routes at the Acute Medical Assessment Unit were “obstructed by additional seating and equipment”.

The improvement notice warned UHG to “ensure emergency routes to emergency exits are kept clear at all times”.

In an official response, Chris Kane, General Manager of UHG, listed actions taken by the hospital to improve the dangerous situation highlighted by HSA.

But she conceded that use of trolleys has become part of daily life in the Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, which was operating as a Green or non-Covid Emergency Department.

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the report and the HSE’s response, see the May 13 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.