Staff shortages hold back operations at new Merlin Park theatres

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – The long-running fiasco that was Merlin Park Hospital’s leaky operating theatres drew to a close this week as replacement facilities came into operation.

However, the wait will go on for many patients requiring orthopaedic surgery as staff shortages will prevent the new theatres from being operated to full capacity.

The Saolta University Healthcare Group has confirmed that the two new replacement orthopaedic operating theatres – which cost €10.5 million to construct – were up and running as of this week.

The hospital was plunged into crisis in 2017 when a leaking roof was discovered, forcing a theatre shut-down and piling pressure on already bulging waiting lists for hip and knee replacements in addition to spinal, ankle and shoulder surgeries.

Almost five years later, the doors have reopened on a new build which consists of two operating theatres, two anaesthesia rooms, a recovery area and other ancillary accommodation to support the theatre suites.

TD for Galway West, Deputy Catherine Connolly (Ind) said while the new facility’s completion was welcome, the announcement must be put in perspective – many of those awaiting surgery had been languishing on waiting lists for far too long, even without the closure of the old theatres.

“The closure of the theatres clearly compounded that very long list and patient suffering. Inexplicably, it has taken almost five years to replace those two operating theatres and yet, with the final confirmation that they are now open, we are informed that they will not operate at capacity due to lack of staff.

“Saolta has provided no information, however, in relation to the composition of the staff required, why this was not planned for during the five years that these two operating theatres have been closed and, most importantly, when the staff will be in place,” said Deputy Connolly

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see the June 17 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.