‘Unbelievable’ trolley numbers in CUH
Two Cork TDs have expressed their alarm after CUH recorded its highest numbers for patients waiting for trolleys since records began.
Sinn Féin TDs for Cork, Thomas Gould and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire are now calling on the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD to urgently intervene to support CUH and to tackle the waiting list crisis in Cork.
Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould said: “For over two decades now, Cork has been promised a new hospital. We are still no closer to even knowing where this hospital will be located.
“Tuesday’s shocking figures highlight the urgent need for this hospital to relieve the burden on the healthcare system in Cork. The current situation is unsustainable and completely unfair on staff and patients.
“The healthcare system in Cork is on its knees…we need to see real action, “ he added.
According to figures released this week by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), 84 patients were on trolleys in CUH on Tuesday, the highest number recorded in the hospital since the INMO began records in 2006.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Liam Conway said the new figures are “no surprise” to those working at CUH and that a glaring disparity between discharge and admission rates is a key factor.
He said: “The discharge rates simply are not keeping up with the admission rates. This is a very dangerous situation in CUH and staff can’t wait any longer for the South/Southwest Hospital Group to intervene.
“It is not acceptable to us that the hospital group continue to blame the problems in CUH on the national picture. The INMO has been calling for the HSE and the hospital group to create a bespoke plan for CUH.”
Mr Conway continued: “Year in and year out, we see the same problems in CUH at wintertime. We need to see all non-emergency activity in the hospital curtailed and all private capacity in the region utilised where possible.
Sinn Féin TD for Cork South-Central, Deputy Ó Laoghaire labelled the latest figures as “unbelievable.”
He claimed: “This Government do not have the political will to tackle huge waiting lists. There is no sense of urgency, or that this is even a priority for them.
“Everywhere we look in the health service, there is a fire to be put out and an emergency to be tackled.”