With reference to the report released this week with regard to Portiuncla Hospital in Ballinasloe which has shown up some problems with regard to infection control, most hospitals employ private companies to ensure that the proper cleaning is done. With that in mind people who use the hospital should ensure that the infection control systems in place are followed closely. The situation at Portiuncla can be resolved by everyone involved being more pro-active and the people responsible for infection control in the hospital may have to increase the intensity of their programme to resolve the situation. The management at the hospital need to take this issue by the scruff of the neck and solve this issue once and for all and it can be done.
A bigger problem now in Portiuncla and other local hospitals is that front line staff are under ferocious pressure at the moment. I realise that there are efforts being made to recruit more staff but the situation as it exists cannot continue. We have to make sure that a determined recruitment drive is put in place so that the pressure on the existing staff is alleviated as soon as possible.