Connolly Hospital Updates

ChewChew

Hi folks. . .

just thought I would bring the following to yer attention, as not too many people are aware that all Impact trade union members who work in the HSE/public sector are going on a 'work to rule' strike from this coming wednesday the 21st may.

Basically they have refused to refill job vacancies among Social workers, Physiotherapists & clerical staff which means these staff members have been working overtime and much longer hours than they are contracted too do, all in the name of good will you ensure a better standard within the HSE. unfortunatley we have been unable to achieve this, because of they severe staff shortages.

How will this effect Connolly Hospital?? one answer. . . hugely.

Impact members will operate on a work to rule. Members will ONLY do the work they are contracted to do. overtime will not be done. we will not help out those who are absent from work for whatever reason. we will not take on extra work loads or responibilites.

Will the patient suffer?? again one answer. . . most likely. unfortunately.

It is not our intention to make the patient suffer. At the end of the day, we are there to try to help these people. not to make their lives any worse.

We are not going on strike looking for more money. All we want is some more HELP. we need extra staff. badly.

So yes, this is going to have a huge knock on effect at Connolly. For me, personally, because of the job I do, this is going to be very very hard. But we have to draw the line somewhere. I really hope the government realise this, and replace the staff who have not yet been replaced in the last year. Realistically, the above is fr the patients benefit.

Nevyn

Thanks for the heads up Chewchew.

ChewChew

Hi guys,

Just a quick update.

There will be an all out 1 hour stoppage by IMPACT trade union members in Connolly hospital (also Beaumont & Dr Steevens) at 1pm to 2pm on wednesday 11th June.

Members will be on the picket line for this hour.

ChewChew

Well it appears the new layout should be ready soon enough with the berrier system and also the pay parking which was supposed to come into effect last October. Never mind that, at least now it is happening.

January

Pay parking at a hospital is just taking the piss... especially if staff have to pay for it

*Dallas

paid carparking in a hospital??

that is a flipping joke! i go to the outpatients every 4-5months and i could be sitting there for 4 hours waiting to see someone.

I hope patients dont have to pay.. there's nowhere else within walking distance that you can use as an alternative!

Zaph

It's a reality in other hospitals, and has been for a long time. St. Vincents have been charging for years because people were parking their cars there and getting the DART to work from Sydney Parade station, which is only a couple of minutes walk from the hospital. I spent months going there on an almost weekly basis for checkups and physio and it cost me a fortune. Similarly the Mater have been charging for a long time because office workers in the area were using the car park. Much and all as it písses me off and has cost me a fair bit in the past, I can kind of understand it in those hospitals as the charge is there to act as a deterrent to those not needing to visit the hospital.

However, the one that really annoyed me recently was the Hermitage in Lucan. There's nothing at all beside it and yet they charge €2.30 an hour. That's just a cynical money making exercise, and unfortunately it seems that Connolly is employing the same tactics, although I'm open to correction from Chewie on large numbers of people parking there and not visiting the hospital.

PauloMN

Well said Zaph, completely agree.

I spent a lot of weekends visiting my father in St. Vincents at over €2 per hour (think it was €2.20 per hour). Even 5 minutes over and it would be another full hour. This was at weekends, not just during the week.

I have no problem in covering the cost of provision of a car park, and even an exponential pricing scale to eliminate people (not patients or visitors) parking there all day long. However, calling in to see a relative at the weekend for an hour and a half and having to fork out the guts of a fiver just for parking is nothing short of criminal imo. I think hospital car parking should be provided free for patients, and at a reasonable cost for visitors, like €1 per hour or similar.

athtrasna

ChewChew wrote: »

Well it appears the new layout should be ready soon enough with the berrier system and also the pay parking which was supposed to come into effect last October. Never mind that, at least now it is happening.

Will the road still be open to through traffic? The new junction isn't particularly car-friendly but if you live at the back of Waterville, this road is a key access point to the village.

ChewChew

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Pay parking at a hospital is just taking the piss... especially if staff have to pay for it

*Dallas wrote: »

paid carparking in a hospital??

that is a flipping joke! i go to the outpatients every 4-5months and i could be sitting there for 4 hours waiting to see someone.

I hope patients dont have to pay.. there's nowhere else within walking distance that you can use as an alternative!

Most if not all Dublin hospitals have pay parking.

Of course patients are going to have to pay. thats the point really! Staff. . No.

Zaph wrote: »

It's a reality in other hospitals, and has been for a long time. St. Vincents have been charging for years because people were parking their cars there and getting the DART to work from Sydney Parade station, which is only a couple of minutes walk from the hospital. I spent months going there on an almost weekly basis for checkups and physio and it cost me a fortune. Similarly the Mater have been charging for a long time because office workers in the area were using the car park. Much and all as it písses me off and has cost me a fair bit in the past, I can kind of understand it in those hospitals as the charge is there to act as a deterrent to those not needing to visit the hospital.

However, the one that really annoyed me recently was the Hermitage in Lucan. There's nothing at all beside it and yet they charge €2.30 an hour. That's just a cynical money making exercise, and unfortunately it seems that Connolly is employing the same tactics, although I'm open to correction from Chewie on large numbers of people parking there and not visiting the hospital.

thats it zaph. pretty much every hospital has pay parking. and at the end of the day, the money the hospital gets from pay parking goes directly to the hospital. So its not all bad. It means they can 'try' to improve the services they already provide.

Also, I dont think too many people (if any) use the car park and then just head off. its not really central enough for anything to be worth anyone's while, but I stand to be corrected!

PauloMN wrote: »

Well said Zaph, completely agree.

I spent a lot of weekends visiting my father in St. Vincents at over €2 per hour (think it was €2.20 per hour). Even 5 minutes over and it would be another full hour. This was at weekends, not just during the week.

I have no problem in covering the cost of provision of a car park, and even an exponential pricing scale to eliminate people (not patients or visitors) parking there all day long. However, calling in to see a relative at the weekend for an hour and a half and having to fork out the guts of a fiver just for parking is nothing short of criminal imo. I think hospital car parking should be provided free for patients, and at a reasonable cost for visitors, like €1 per hour or similar.

I dont think to eliminiate patients & visitors from paying would work because most of the traffic is patients & visitors.

athtrasna wrote: »

Will the road still be open to through traffic? The new junction isn't particularly car-friendly but if you live at the back of Waterville, this road is a key access point to the village.

the only entrance for patients & visitors will be from the main street.

Zaph

ChewChew wrote: »

the only entrance for patients & visitors will be from the main street.

So you won't be able to get to the hospital by going through Waterville? Whose dumbass idea was it to add more traffic to the Main Street?

As regards using the money made from the car parks to improve services, maybe in some places they do, but most of the car parks are run as a profit making enterprise by outside firms, so the hospitals only get a portion of the income. That's not good enough imo, if they want to charge they should be ruinningthe car parks themselves and benefitting from all the income, less whatever expenses it costs to run it.

ChewChew

Zaph wrote: »

So you won't be able to get to the hospital by going through Waterville? Whose dumbass idea was it to add more traffic to the Main Street?

well ya see there is going to be a new entrance on the auburn roundabout on the N3 but I'm not sure exactly when that will be open although I believe it is completed. The watervill entrance will only be for staff, ambulance, buses & taxis.

Zaph wrote: »

As regards using the money made from the car parks to improve services, maybe in some places they do, but most of the car parks are run as a profit making enterprise by outside firms, so the hospitals only get a portion of the income. That's not good enough imo, if they want to charge they should be ruinningthe car parks themselves and benefitting from all the income, less whatever expenses it costs to run it.

I stand to be corrected on this one as I am not 100% sure about it but afaik in 2years time the car park will be under the security of the hospitals own security but will be done privately for that period.

athtrasna

As someone living in Waterville this is disastrous!! While I would never use the hospital as a first choice route, there are times, especially around Christmas where the hospital is a vital route to avoid the chaos around the shopping centre!

Oh and the new entrance will be off Scott's roundabout not the Auburn roundabout. It's built but blocked off due to some wrangling with the council AFAIK. There is talk that this road won't be open until the M50 junction is upgraded!!

Nevyn

athtrasna wrote: »

There is talk that this road won't be open until the M50 junction is upgraded!!

That is what I heard.

Zaph

Which one's Scott's roundabout?

Nevyn

Zaph wrote: »

Which one's Scott's roundabout?

The one right after the m50 roundabout which had the turn off for the village.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=blanchardstown&sll=53.344104,-6.267494&sspn=0.171761,0.500565&g=Dublin,+Co.+Dublin,+Republic+of+Ireland&ie=UTF8&ll=53.384275,-6.369195&spn=0.010725,0.031285&t=h&z=15

Zaph

Thanks Thaed

January

It's the Blanchardstown Roundabout... beside the entrance to Total Fitness...

PauloMN

ChewChew wrote: »

I dont think to eliminiate patients & visitors from paying would work because most of the traffic is patients & visitors.

Like I said, a reasonable charge of something like €1 an hour for visitors would be acceptable imo. This could rise to a few euros per hour after say 3 hours to eliminate any all-day commuter parking (although I can't really see that being an issue with Connolly hospital).

However I think charging patients parking is just awful. It's bad enough having to go to hospital without having to pay for parking. Plus as a patient, many times you'll have no idea how long you'll actually be there for, so a charge of say €2.50 an hour could really mount up. At least as a visitor you'll know it's an hour or two in general.

ChewChew

athtrasna wrote: »

As someone living in Waterville this is disastrous!! While I would never use the hospital as a first choice route, there are times, especially around Christmas where the hospital is a vital route to avoid the chaos around the shopping centre!

Oh and the new entrance will be off Scott's roundabout not the Auburn roundabout. It's built but blocked off due to some wrangling with the council AFAIK. There is talk that this road won't be open until the M50 junction is upgraded!!

well I think thats part of the reason for the closure of that entrance. there is just far too much traffic going through which is not for the hospital.

and I figured scotts & auburn roundabout were the same. my bad. Anyways, the entrance will be at the total fitness roundabout!

I also heard that this entrance wont be open untill 2012

PauloMN wrote: »

Like I said, a reasonable charge of something like €1 an hour for visitors would be acceptable imo. This could rise to a few euros per hour after say 3 hours to eliminate any all-day commuter parking (although I can't really see that being an issue with Connolly hospital).

However I think charging patients parking is just awful. It's bad enough having to go to hospital without having to pay for parking. Plus as a patient, many times you'll have no idea how long you'll actually be there for, so a charge of say €2.50 an hour could really mount up. At least as a visitor you'll know it's an hour or two in general.

i agree. but I think there will something like a max payment per day so if you are in the hospital for 8 hours you only pay a max of about €10 or something like that.

ChewChew

Pay Parking will be in place as of April 2009.

1daisy1

Some hospitals give a monthly charge for patients and relatives of patients that will use the car park frequently, check with them.

athtrasna

ChewChew wrote: »

well I think thats part of the reason for the closure of that entrance. there is just far too much traffic going through which is not for the hospital.

Fingal Co Co say they have had no notice of any closure of the road, total or partial?

athtrasna

Any more info on this. Have emailed all the Councillors but not a single reply. Funny, I thought there was an election this year!

ChewChew

AFAIK it will all be in operation from April with pay parking and barriers in place.

All staff car parks are clearly pointed out but patients/visitors seem to be unable to read these signs and are blocking staff car parks (when spaces are seriously limited as it is) so the sooner the pay parking comes in the better!

ChewChew

Just a little update on how things are at the minute:

Well unfortunately A&E overcrowding is still suffering a little with overcrowding having a knock on effect on elective admissions but hopefully now with the really good weather things will ease up a little, but as we all know with the cutbacks sometimes there are some things which cant be avoided.

Staff carparks have been solely allocated throughout the hospital campus but pay parking has not been implemented just yet for patients/visitors.

And as of May 31st, Connolly hospital has become a tobacco free campus. There are no designated area's within the hospital grounds for patients, visitors or staff to smoke!

Gaspode

The smoke-free thing is intersting, I wonder how much will need to be ploughed into resourcing the policing of the ban. It may turn out to be too difficult to prevent smokers from just lighting up outside when they feel like it.

On the parking, are you saying there's no parking at all for patients/visitors?

Random

I'm reading that as "there are designated car parks for staff that patients / visitors can't park in" rather than "only staff can park there" - is that right?

As for the no smoking thing... that's very interesting. Looking to see how that turns out!

ChewChew

Gaspode, staff car parks were always signposted but constantly abused by patient/visitors so now we have barriers in place so it is restricted to staff only who have a swipe card.

As for the tobacco free campus. Tbh, I cant see it working too well. They have out alot into it and I think have put a good bit of money into the campaining of it but I really cant see how it will be policed.

Personally (and I am a non-smoker) I dont think it is very fair to have a 100% tobacco free campus. Its not fair to patients who are there days or weeks on end. reality is, People smoke and why should they be denied a designated area to do so? also staff members. Nurses and doctors especially work crazy hours. 12 hours shifts. now I really cant see the justice in that.

I know smoking is very bad for your health and in a hospital it really shouldn't be encouraged but I do think it should be acknowledged that it is an international issue that is never going to go way so why punish the patients? A very vulnerable group within our society.

Gaspode

I agree, I dont smoke either but a blanket ban is over-tough, and well, unfair really.
Mind you, when I was in the Mater a few years ago, I couldnt get over the amount of patients outside with drains hanging from their chest to clear their lungs, and they puffing away in the smoking area! Made me mad as hell!

Pineapple stu

There is a smoking shelter at the a&e car park.
Ive had to go to a&e 3 times this year and i found them very good. I got seen in good time seeing that they were busy at the time. What people who give out about waiting times have to remember is that they have a priority scale and if you are not in any pain or have a serious problem then you will have a longer wait than those who do and those are brought in by ambulances. Ive read in the papers that people complain that they are left on a trolly for a number of hours , at least they are lying down and being seen too. As you all know A&E can be a busy place and the doctors work non stop to see to as many people as possible. Its people showing up with silly complaints whilst on the medical card that add to waiting time and those showing up drunk after hurting themselves whilst being drunk.
All i can say about the staff of blanch hospital that delt with me is that they are hard working and sound with no complaints from me. 10/10

Gaspode

cymro wrote: »

All i can say about the staff of blanch hospital that delt with me is that they are hard working and sound with no complaints from me. 10/10

I concur totally, though thankfully I havent had to visit them too often!

ChewChew

Gaspode wrote: »

I agree, I dont smoke either but a blanket ban is over-tough, and well, unfair really.
Mind you, when I was in the Mater a few years ago, I couldnt get over the amount of patients outside with drains hanging from their chest to clear their lungs, and they puffing away in the smoking area! Made me mad as hell!

yep it's a bit sickening sometimes when some people really shove the things like that in your face. My dad was a smoker and when he got ill he attempted to give up but the doctors told him there was no point so he continued to smoke but he didn't do it so blatantly.

cymro wrote: »

There is a smoking shelter at the a&e car park.
Ive had to go to a&e 3 times this year and i found them very good. I got seen in good time seeing that they were busy at the time. What people who give out about waiting times have to remember is that they have a priority scale and if you are not in any pain or have a serious problem then you will have a longer wait than those who do and those are brought in by ambulances. Ive read in the papers that people complain that they are left on a trolly for a number of hours , at least they are lying down and being seen too. As you all know A&E can be a busy place and the doctors work non stop to see to as many people as possible. Its people showing up with silly complaints whilst on the medical card that add to waiting time and those showing up drunk after hurting themselves whilst being drunk.
All i can say about the staff of blanch hospital that delt with me is that they are hard working and sound with no complaints from me. 10/10

I think in time that shelter well be gone, if it's not already gone. I must actually check that. And I must agree with you that they are really good in the A&E there and in every dept I think. And I'm not just saying that because I work there but like any other hospital we do have our flaws, our lazy so n so's and sometimes things go wrong. But overall I think we are relatively good. But if we could get rid of some of the unnessesary admissions to A&E it really would make a difference to the urgents patients, and like you said they are catagorized by their level of urgency and depending on their complaint depends on the lenght of time they are waiting to see that specialist!

Gaspode wrote: »

I concur totally, though thankfully I havent had to visit them too often!

And hopefully not again for a very long time!

Pineapple stu

Shelter was there on the 10th of may .

Went into a&e on the date above and the receptionist was as nice of a person you could meet. Even though i was in slight pain i had to laugh at a some girl who had been there for 5 hours with a sprained foot only to be in and out in 5 minutes after seeing the doc and being told that she only had a sprained foot and to go home and take some solpadines . She must have been there since the pubs closed .

athtrasna

Glad to see the road hasn't been closed off as a through route The general area couldn't cope yet!

Murt10

I'm a non smoker (reformed smoker). I hate the smell of the bloody things but to put an outright ban is ill thought out and is going to cause more problems than it will solve.

By and large smokers have been fairly responsible people and obeyed the bans by only smoking in allocated areas. Every sensible smoker will now head off to their private cubicle, at least that is what I would have done.

You will hardly be able to see in the toilets with the smoke. The fumes will linger much longer than they would have if the smokers were allowed to get a fix for their addiction outside.

It's going to be like being back in school.
"Are you smoking in there?"
"No"
"Are you sure"
"I said NO didn't I"
"Well there is smoke coming over the edge of your cubicle"
"F*&(* off and mind your own business". Or better still "Prove It"

Pineapple stu

St Vincents is smoke free i think as well. You would have to go to the main road for a smoke.
I agree with others that its a sickning sight seeing people on drips etc outside having a smoke when some of these are in hospital due to smoke related illnesses.

ChewChew

As of Monday 2nd November. . . a pay and display parking system has come into operation. Public car parks are set up and staff car parks are also clearly marked. I'm not sure what the rates are just yet, I will find out and report back.


Things seem to be going well in terms of waiting time (especially in A&E) but we all know winter is on it's way so that wont last too much longer :p

Thats seems to be it at the minute!

Gaspode

Chewchew I've merged your previous threads on the hospital into one, and sure maybe I'll sticky it for a while if there's more updates to come.

BTW, Will there be any disruption with this day of action the public service unions are calling for next week?

ChewChew

Gaspode wrote: »

BTW, Will there be any disruption with this day of action the public service unions are calling for next week?

Absolutely.

It's happening on a Tuesday so thats a pretty busy day. . . OutPatient clinics are running. . . Theatre lists are scheduled. All are managed with the help of Clerical staff. IMPACT are a definite union going to ballot for strike and they cover all clerical/admin staff. The INO and SIPTU are also involved but I am not sure if they are going to go ahead and ballot their members.

But, Basically if the strike goes ahead all clerical staff will be on the picket line (only with emergency cover given) and it most likely will mean that MOST (not all) surgeries and OPD clinics will be cancelled.

ChewChew

Looks like the strike is going ahead on tuesday so all elective admissions (apart from emergency procedures) will be cancelled. A definite decision still has not been made but is due to be confirmed tomorrow and all patients will be contacted but it might be beneficial to contact the relevant dept to confirm your status!!

Switchboard no is: (01) 646-5000

LostinBlanch

Big budget cut on the way, €13 million! :eek: :mad:

Fine Gael Dublin West TD Leo Varadkar said he had received information indicating the budget of Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown was being cut by €13 million this year.

I hope no boardsies or their friends or relatives are negatively affected by this.

ChewChew

Unfortunately there are now ward closures scheduled for the next few months to look forward too. The budget being cut is not helping one bit!

Zaph

This thread isn't really that active so I'm going to unstick it for now. We may look at stickying it again some time in the future if the need arises.

PauloMN

ChewChew wrote: »

Unfortunately there are now ward closures scheduled for the next few months to look forward too. The budget being cut is not helping one bit!

Was in there this week, the out-patients dept. is closed for August due to cutbacks. Crazy situation. I had to get a day case procedure done in a ward bed with 5 others in the same room, and their visitors. Pretty unpleasant.

Mary Harney is a complete waste of space, and the way the hospitals are being run is laughable. I feel for the staff as I could sense they were up the walls and totally frustrated.

Nevyn

I heard we may be loosing the A&E dept.

PauloMN

Thaedydal wrote: »

I heard we may be loosing the A&E dept.

Absolute insanity if that happens. In an area the size of D15, plus the other parts of Dublin and Meath it serves, how can an already busy A&E dept close?

There's probably nothing more important to people than a properly functioning hospital.

LadyW

Close the A+E?? That just doesn't bear thinking about.

blondie7

Thats stupidy our nearest A&E would then be the Mater, and getting down that North Circular Road with any traffic is a nightmare. The sooner the better Bredan Drum leaves the HSE and this new lad takes over, hopefully he will try sort out some of this mess. Has anyone gone knocking to minister Lenihan on this issue?? Or our local Councilors?

LostinBlanch

Close the A & E? That is abosolute madness if true.

Like PauloMN said, it serves other parts of Dublin and Meath as well.

EDIT: Thaed, where did you hear that?

conno16

hard to see how you could close the a&e - where would the patients go

connolly is merging with beaumont though i heard