Resign threat surgeon ‘stays on’ after extra nurses promise

Date Published: 11-Jul-2011

The top colorectal surgeon who threatened to resign in protest at inadequate facilities at UHG is to remain at the hospital following the announcement that at least 12 additional theatre nurses are to be appointed by the end of next month.

It is understood that Mr Myles Joyce threatened to resign last month after less than 16 months in the job over a lack of facilities and access to operating theatres. The matter was subsequently investigated by Minister for Health Dr James Reilly.

However, it was business as usual for the consultant surgeon at the Galway hospital yesterday following the announcement that additional theatre nurses would be provided in spite of the continuing moratorium on recruitment.

The news was welcomed by Fine Gael Deputy Brian Walsh, who successfully campaigned for the appointment of the theatre nurses and was part of a delegation of local Oireachtas members and consultant doctors from UHG to discuss the matter with the Minister for Health in Dublin last month.

“The provision of 12 additional theatre nurses will increase the hospital’s capacity to perform operations and allow surgeons to continue doing an excellent job,” he said.

“I understand that Mr Joyce intends to remain at the hospital following the undertaking by Minister Reilly that at least 12 additional theatre nurses are to be appointed by the end of next month and he is to explore the possibility of recruiting another 12 student nurses to be trained in the area.”

The shortage of theatre nurses at UHG had resulted in almost one-third of the hospital’s surgical theatres remaining closed but the recruitment of additional personnel will restore the 16 theatres to near-full capacity.

The number of theatre nurses at the hospital had fallen by 28 since the recruitment embargo was introduced in 2009 and currently stands at 92. As many as seven of the 16 surgical theatres can remain closed on particular days due to the lack of nursing staff.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel