The Irish Nurses' Organisation has said it is extremely concerned about the continued delay in referring seriously ill patients to the Galway Hospice.
The hospice is currently under review by an expert group appointed by its board and a separate investigation by the Western Health Board (WHB). Both inquiries were commissioned after the health board's palliative consultant stopped referring new patients to the hospice last May. The consultant had raised concerns about clinical issues relating to patient care.
The separate WHB investigation is focused on staff relations and other non-clinical issues.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) said that while it welcomed the independent review by the hospice, which is chaired by Mr Ian Carter, deputy chief executive of St James's Hospital in Dublin, it wished to point out that the daycare and homecare services are continuing and its members are providing a full specialist service to about 100 patients.
However, the union's industrial relations officer, Ms Noreen Muldoon, said she was at a loss to understand why there was a need to cease admissions to the inpatient unit. The INO said it was extremely distressing for patients and families, with some patients having been transferred to palliative care services in Dublin and Cork.
The Galway Hospice Foundation said it was aware of the concerns and regretted the inconvenience and distress. However, it said that an independent expert group was established in the interests of best practice and was "proceeding with its task". A spokesman emphasised that it was the palliative consultant's decision to stop referrals.
The WHB said a consultant had a duty of care to patients, and a duty to respond if they believed there were risks to patients.
