Former UHL manager appointed to new role in midwest

A former manager of University Hospital Limerick has been appointed to a new role as one of the integrated healthcare managers in the midwest, the Oireachtas Committee on Health has heard.

Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane asked whether this was done outside a public competition, as has been reported.

He also asked whether past performance of any individual offered these posts was taken into account.

Mr Cullinane said the family of Aoife Johnston, a 16-year-old girl who died after a 12 hour wait in the UHL emergency department in December 2022, was far from happy with that.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said they had to be extremely careful about what they said as there was "a significant disciplinary process under way" against that individual.

UHL CEO Colette Cowan, who is on administrative leave, is understood to have been appointed as an integrated healthcare manager.

Mr Donnelly said there were highly legalistic processes and they had to be careful not to prejudice that.

It would not be wise for him to speak about past performance, Mr Donnelly added.

"The disciplinary proceedings against six people in UHL represents the single biggest move in terms of accountability in the time the HSE has existed," he told the committee.

He said there is a redeployment of community healthcare organisation leadership and hospital group leadership with the removal of several layers of management.

Mr Cullinane asked whether the Minister was aware that the posts were offered outside of a public competition, as reported in a newspaper, and whether that was wise.

Mr Donnelly said it was reasonable to redeploy people.

He added that they had to be careful and he said that as of this moment, no findings have been made against anyone in UHL on the tragic death of Ms Johnston.

Additional reporting Fergal Bowers