A former supplies officer employed by the HSE at Tipperary University Hospital has claimed that his contract was terminated after he brought to management’s attention a list of 56 items that he says were in breach of various regulations.
Tom Conway says that these breaches of the regulations related not just to Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel but throughout the HSE.
He began his role as supplies officer in June of 2023.
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He first raised issues with management in September of that year when he said he noticed that the HSE “was doing a lot of wrong stuff”.
Mr Conway claims that the breaches of regulations related to the handling of chemicals and dangerous goods, and staff working with carcinogenic, corrosive and combustible materials without the proper training; wasteful spending of Government funds through the supply lines, with stock levels for supplies not being monitored correctly; items not being used because either too many had been ordered, or else they had passed their expiry date; and what he says is the incorrect disposal of discarded materials such as syringes, needles and defibrillators and electrode pads used in resuscitation machines.
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“Basically, every medical device being used is being disposed of incorrectly,” says Mr Conway.
Among the list of 56 items that he claims amounted to breaches of regulations, he also says that there were no safety pins in place in the majority of the racking (shelving) throughout the store, and the racking was not secure in place (bolted to the ground).
He claims that there was no safety testing on the racking to show it was safe and fit for use, and no hi-vis clothing, PPE (personal protective equipment) or safety gear for the stores personnel.
“No training was given to myself, bar four standard training modules, of which two have been openly broken. All my training in dealing with the supplies and entering data into reflections has been word of mouth.”
He says he also experienced a very poor working environment and conditions for staff.
There was little to no involvement from management and staff were not trained properly, a large portion of which had no manual handling training.
“There were no designated drop-down areas for goods-in; no traffic flow system in place for goods-in; and paper towels were stored directly under a heat source, a fire hazard.”
He claims he did not gain access to a desk and chair for five months, and did not gain access to a PC for six months.
Tom Conway says that after he had attended meetings with HSE management, his contract was terminated in May of 2024, when he claims he was told he wasn’t “the right fit” for the role.
He says that he had raised his concerns with the HSE; Bernard Gloster, the HSE’s Chief Executive Officer; former Health Minister Stephen Donnelly; HIQA, The Health Information and Quality Authority that monitors the safety and quality of the healthcare and social care systems; the Office of the Auditor and Comptroller General and all the regulatory bodies.
Tom Conway, who is originally from Dundrum in county Tipperary and now lives in Cahir, holds a part degree in biochemical engineering. He spent seven years as the Operations Lead with Indaver Ireland, a waste management company dealing with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, which governs the safe carriage of hazardous materials. He says that he was released from his position as HSE supplies officer and is now out of a job for trying to do the right thing.
In a statement issued by the HSE after Tom Conway’s claims were put to its media relations section, the HSE says it takes very seriously any matter of concern brought to its attention by way of several routes through which this can be done.
“These include by way of the HSE’s liaison with statutory regulatory bodies, submissions from employees and/or their advocates, those contracted for their services by the HSE or contact from the general public, or in representations by their elected representatives.
“The HSE has quality and safety procedures in place regarding its services. In ensuring its adherence to expectations and standards set by regulatory bodies, the HSE also implements measures in response to observations highlighted in inspections by those independent, statutory entities.
“The HSE does not comment on the circumstances of an individual employee or those contracted for their services by the HSE,” the statement added.
