Histopathology division at Rotunda warns of ‘ageing equipment’

The Rotunda has informed the Medical Independent (MI) that ageing medical equipment stock is a “challenge and a high risk across the hospital”.

In the hospital’s annual report for 2017, the division of histopathology also reports: “Although we have maintained our turnaround times, it becomes increasingly more difficult to do so as the number of instrument failures continues to increase.”

The division of histopathology provides diagnostic interpretation and reporting of human tissue specimens. These include routine surgical specimens, placentas and perinatal pathology cases (autopsies). The division also provides a diagnostic cytopathology service for non-gynaecological specimens.

According to the annual report, the division of histopathology routinely monitors turnaround times on surgical cases and autopsy cases each month. “The division also participates in the National Quality Assurance Intelligence System — Histopathology (NQAIS) scheme, which monitors many KPIs [key performance indicators] in laboratories across Ireland. The Rotunda’s division of histopathology meets the national designated targets in all areas, such as turnaround times, and focused real-time review, and in addition, is consistently above the national average in many of these targets.”

The Rotunda’s spokesperson told MI: “Ageing medical equipment stock is a challenge and a high risk across the hospital. Funding has been inadequate to meet all replacement demands. Medical equipping [is] managed through a prudent and risk-prioritised replacement programme and also managed by [the] clinical engineering department, who ensure that all medical equipment is appropriately maintained, repaired and serviced or risk-assessed for replacement.”