Clare Sinn Féin TD Donna McGettigan TD has said the current crisis at University Hospital Limerick is a result of years of government failures and that their current plans will not address this.
UHL issued a statement this week calling on people not to attend the hospital as it struggles with overcrowding.
Ms McGettigan said: “On Thursday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reported that there were more patients waiting on trollies in UHL than in the next four busiest hospitals in the state. This is not an unusual event for UHL.”
“Following that, UHL asked patients to stay away for the A&E and to seek alternative care- what alternatives? The small injuries clinic in Ennis closes at 8pm and while the staff are hard working and dedicated, it does not provide the same services as UHL. In addition, we know that more people presenting at UHL are admitted that in other hospitals. So people need to be admitted, sending them elsewhere is not acceptable.”
“In addition, some services such as the lifesaving Warfarin Clinic are being cut back from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday and will now only be available by appointment on Monday and Thursday from 8am to 12 noon. That means they will have 8 hours a week to see patients it normally takes 45 hours to treat.”
“This problem stems from government failings over years. We have had significant underinvestment in health services. The condition of patients left to languish on waiting lists are likely to deteriorate, leaving them needing more complex care. UHL has the lowest bed capacity and the highest number of presentations compared to similar hospitals in the state. That is a result of the downgrading of Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s.”
“We have consistently called for 24-hour A&E services to be provided in Ennis. The reversal of the cuts to Ennis would relieve the pressure on UHL. That is the solution.”
“I will continue to demand that all three options in the HIQA report are implemented, including the development of a Model 3 hospital in Clare as close to Ennis as possible. Anything less is short sighted and will not address the problems for the long term. That is the health service the people of Clare deserve,” Deputy McGettigan concluded.