A shortage of consultant clinical biochemists is causing recruitment difficulties for Cork University Hospital, where the biochemistry laboratory has advised GPs it cannot provide clinical advice or interpretation of test results because of lack of clinical governance.

Dr John O'Mullane: Retired last September.

The hospitals biochemistry department has also advised GPs it has sought to voluntarily suspend its accreditation as efforts continue to recruit a consultant clinical biochemist following the retirement, last September, of department chief Dr John OMullane.

Asked how many staff vacancies were in the department, the hospital said: At any given time, allowing that there are a great number of personnel employed in the laboratory, there can be several or no vacancies.

In terms of the current situation, the hospital said there was one consultant clinical biochemist vacancy and that its medical manpower department is actively recruiting both a locum replacement and a permanent replacement.

The hospital said as available candidates are not plentiful, it is difficult to put a timeframe on either competition.

GPs have been advised that, since March 31, the department has not been in a position to provide a clinical advisory service.

Asked what reassurance it could provide in the absence of this advisory, the hospital said the same scientists will process patient specimens to a high-quality standard, as before, and within the same timeframe.

While we can advise service users to seek appropriate advice from other sources, we cannot directly provide that advice at this time. Specific clinical advice of this nature is not generally required for the majority of results, CUH said.

Asked what loss of accreditation would mean for the hospital, the response was that CUH biochemistry will continue to maintain the existing Quality Management System...designed to ensure the safe processing of laboratory tests, but will not be able to provide clinical advice for the interpretation of results.

The hospital said accreditation an independent verification of the extent to which an organisation meets pre-determined standards is not mandatory for biochemistry laboratories but that most, including CUH, achieve it as confirmation of maintaining the system.

The biochemistry department processed approximately 8m tests last year, including for liver function, cardiac function, , and general chemistries.

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Cork University Hospital crisis due to lack of biochemists - Irish Examiner