12 hour waits in Portlaoise hospital A&E claims councillor
Long waiting times in the Emergency Department of Portlaoise hospital are "dangerous" and putting unbearable pressure on sick people and staff, according to a local councillor.
Labour Cllr Marie Tuohy has described the situation in Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise as "a tragedy waiting to happen".
"If you are referred to Portlaoise A&E this morning by your GP, you will sit on a chair for 10 or 12 hours. That's the reality, this summer, right now in Portlaoise and it has all the hallmarks of tragedy waiting to happen. The situation is triaged as best they can but the wait time is excessive.
"It is the height of summer. There's no Covid pandemic. There's no Winter vomiting but. There's no Winter flu epidemic. And yet our health services are in disarray.
"It's wrong, it's dangerous and it's putting unbearable pressure, strain and stress on sick people, their families, and the staff who are run off their feet, working long shifts and who can do no more," she said.
She spoke at the May meeting of Laois County Council, where she tabled a motion calling on the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to intervene and address staff shortages and waiting times in Portlaoise A&E.
"This is in an A&E department that the HSE tried to close, claiming there wasn't sufficient demand. The same HSE who tried to close Abbeyleix and Shaen.
"Next the same HSE will claim the unit is not safe. There will be a tragic event and there will be reports, investigations and tribunals and the inevitable scapegoat as some unfortunate staff member will be blamed.
"What's not safe is the inadequate staffing levels, the shortage of nurses and doctors, the lack of capacity. The solution is to make it safe, ramp up staffing levels, improve pay and conditions for frontline health works so as to retain them in the healths service and indeed the country.
She said that the old system of regional health boards was better.
"We had a local health committee and we had the Midland Health Board on which there were great Laois people chairing, like Tom Keenan, Marty Rohan, John Moloney and an excellent CEO like Denis Doherty and staff like Cllr Kelly's brother here beside me... all who engaged, responded and replied to such concerns. There was far greater accountability. The abolition of health boards was a mistake. I urge colleages to work together and through our representative bodies call for reform.
"We have fought for a long time firstly to retain it and then encourage investment. We're the fastest growing town in the midlands, we are at the axis of the country. Our A and E is vital but it has to be in a position to handle the numbers in a fast and safe way for patients and staff who are excellent but under pressure," Cllr Tuohy said.
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded the motion.
"It's no reflection on staff, they are second to none, working under dreadful circumstances. Patients are waiting 10 hours and more. We have a huge shortage of GPs, it's literally impossible to get an appointment. People are ringing us for help to try and find a doctor. We also need to train more GPs. We are losing our best frontline staff because they have better conditions out of the country. The lack of resources is out of control," she said.
Cllr PJ Kelly had recent first hand experience of the long waits.
"Five weeks ago we had to avail of MIDOC, we were sent to the hospital, we got there at 12.15am on Monday night and didn't leave until 7.30am Tuesday morning. I couldn't believe the crowd, the seats were full bar four seats," he said.
Cllr Willie Aird said that Micheal Martin took away the health boards, and also wants them reinstated.
"They're talking about how to spend the extra €16 billion, the rainy day is here," he said.
Meanwhile, the iron seats should be replaced, suggests Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.
"They are making a bad situation worse, you see people coming in with blankets and towels," she said.
A family member of Cllr Ben Brennan works in the hospital he said.
"They come home stressed and sick. Why did they fix something that wasn't broken? No-one is held accountable now," he said.
A letter will be sent by Laois County Council to the Minister for Health.