The rationale for a pioneering initiative at Bon Secours Hospital Dublin – the implementation of an extended working week in the theatre and endoscopy services – stemmed from a simple but pressing reality, the Monday-to-Friday work schedule no longer met the needs of the patient population, Mary Kirwan, Head of HR at the hospital, told the Conference.
She said this shift, moving beyond the traditional Monday-to-Friday model, aimed to meet the evolving needs of the population and address growing access issues.
“The structure of a traditional five-day workweek in healthcare has been challenged by the growing demand for elective surgeries and diagnostic procedures. As a private hospital, we are under increasing pressure to reduce waiting times and ensure that we can accommodate the volume of patients seeking care. The old system simply isn’t sustainable.
“The shift towards a Saturday service was not a decision taken lightly, but it was one that became increasingly necessary. With patients facing longer wait times for essential procedures, Bon Secours recognised the importance of expanding its service hours to provide timely, accessible care.
“Our patients depend on us for both the quality and the accessibility of care. The traditional Monday-to-Friday structure created significant bottlenecks, particularly for those seeking elective surgery or endoscopy services. This not only impacted patient satisfaction but also the efficiency of our services,” she said.
“The solution to these access issues lay in the implementation of a Saturday working model for key services. Under this new approach, Bon Secours Hospital Dublin’s theatres and endoscopy departments began offering treatments and procedures on Saturdays, a move that not only extended the operational hours but also provided patients with more flexible scheduling options.
“We started by examining the most pressing areas of demand — surgeries and endoscopy procedures. These were often delayed or rescheduled due to the constraints of a Monday-to-Friday schedule. By offering services on Saturdays, we could significantly reduce waiting times, free up capacity during the week, and ultimately improve the patient experience.”
Ms. Kirwan said that from a HR perspective, the extended workweek presented both challenges and opportunities. One of the key considerations was how to ensure that staff, particularly those in high-demand areas like theatres, were adequately supported. “Our staff’s well-being was a top priority. We implemented flexible scheduling to allow employees to manage their work-life balance, with enough downtime between shifts. We also engaged directly with our staff to address concerns and ensure that they felt heard and supported throughout the process.”
She said the results had been overwhelmingly positive. The new Saturday services had enabled the hospital to address the demand for elective procedures much more efficiently. By spreading the workload across a six-day week, Bon Secours had been able to streamline its scheduling process, reduce backlogs, and provide more timely care for patients.
Innovative thinking and a willingness to adapt could lead to practical solutions that benefitted both patients and healthcare staff. Bon Secours Hospital Dublin’s successful implementation of an extended workweek in its theatres and endoscopy services served as an inspiring example of how private hospitals could improve service delivery and address the challenges posed by increasing demand.
“The healthcare landscape is evolving, and so too must our approach to providing care. Flexibility, innovation, and collaboration will be key as we continue to meet the needs of our patients and staff,” she concluded.
Bon Secours Hospital Dublin, one of the leading private hospitals in Ireland, has long been known for its commitment to high-quality patient care. The hospital is part of the Bon Secours Health System, which operates across multiple locations in Ireland, providing a broad range of services, including surgical, medical, and diagnostic services. Specialising in elective procedures, oncology, cardiology, and orthopaedics, Bon Secours Hospital Dublin, offers patient-centred care in a state-of-the-art environment. It is recognised not only for its excellence in healthcare but also for its innovative approach to service delivery and patient satisfaction.
