The U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs hospital in Aurora is making progress on bettering security for each sufferers and staff, although extra work remains to be wanted, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow mentioned Monday.
Crow, a Democrat representing Aurora and a few close by communities, and VA Undersecretary for Well being Dr. Shereef Elnahal met with staff of the VA Japanese Colorado Well being Care System to speak about workers considerations Monday.
The VA’s Japanese Colorado system has struggled in current months, first because the system’s two prime leaders had been reassigned in October whereas the Workplace of the Inspector Normal completes an investigation into oversight and tradition within the system.
In November, JS reported a whistleblower’s allegations that the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Heart’s prosthetics division had deleted veterans’ requests for wheelchairs, synthetic limbs and different gadgets, to cover a big backlog in processing these requests.
The director of the Aurora VA’s suicide prevention heart was reassigned in December following reporting by The Submit detailing allegations of abusive conduct towards staff.
Crow in mid-December despatched a letter to Elnahal demanding an accounting of the issues within the prosthetics division and assurances the hospital was ensuring veterans obtain correct well being care. Final week, Crow despatched one other letter, this time joined by the remainder of Colorado’s representatives, to Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough urging him to deal with considerations inside the VA about staffing shortages, security dangers and hospital management.
Talking to reporters Monday, Elnahal mentioned “management failures” had been behind the hospital’s string of issues, although he mentioned the inspector normal’s investigation remains to be in progress. The hospital is searching for a brand new chief for the prosthetics division and introduced in workers from different VA services to assist clear the backlog, bringing the time to course of a request all the way down to about 5 days, he mentioned.
Reviews about security considerations have elevated in the previous couple of months, however that’s a constructive improvement, as a result of workers really feel like somebody is listening, Elnahal mentioned. The VA is trying into choices to enhance security, together with hiring extra workers, he mentioned.
“We haven’t waited to start on what we all know is an issue,” he mentioned.
Crow mentioned the VA has been extra clear with him since new interim leaders got here in, and that workers informed him within the city corridor assembly that they had been happy with improved communication.
“There are points that should be resolved and are being resolved,” he mentioned. “There was no query that I’ve requested that has gone unanswered.”
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