Only one the State’s 29 main hospitals achieved a “good” rating under a new tool aimed at measuring the performance of health services.
The Health Service Executive’s “HealthStat” programme, launched last year, provides a snapshot of health services by measuring performance in areas such as waiting times for operations and quality of care.
However, in the latest monthly assessment of health services using the tool, only Waterford Regional Hospital received an overall rating of green, indicating a “good performance”. It was the first green rating to be given under the new system.
Published today, the December 2009 HealthStat analysis shows Waterford Regional Hospital achieved a “green light” for very good performance in each of the three areas measured - access to services, patient-centredness and best use of human and financial resources.
A total of 25 hospitals received an amber rating, indicating an “average performance” against national targets, while two - Merlin Park Hospital Galway and University College Hospital Galway - were ranked as red, or “unsatisfactory and requiring urgent attention”.
Commenting on the results, Waterford Regional Hospital’s general manager, Patricia Sullivan, said: "We are absolutely delighted that the evidence is there to demonstrate the efforts being made for patients to access both local and regional services at WRH. It continues to be a work in progress, to free up capacity to treat more patients, but these results are very encouraging".
Waterford Regional Hospital’s clinical director, Dr Rob Landers, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the hospital, and I want to pay a huge tribute to all the staff who made it happen."