Dan Harty urges support for Sinn Féin's health plan

Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Tipperary North, Dan Harty, says 'the disaster' at University Hospital Limerick is a result of extremely poor planning since the decision to close the other emergency departments in the region without safe capacity at UHL.

“Put simply, the decision to close the emergency department in Nenagh was a disaster for the people of North Tipperary. Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly have had eight years to put a plan in place for the Midwest and they have failed. This government has failed to fund and implement Sláintecare, a plan that achieved cross-party political consensus on major health reform in Ireland”, Mr. Harty said.

“The recent announcement by the Taoiseach to follow anticipated HIQA recommendations in the lifetime of the next government, whatever they might be, comes too little too late for the people of North Tipperary. We have a situation where, even with increased overflow capacity at the new Nursing Home Unit in Nenagh, that 1,876 patients were left without a bed in UHL last month. According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation this was the second highest figure ever recorded for the hospital for the month of October”.

“Sinn Féin has recently launched its new healthcare policy, A Prescription For Change. Sinn Féin has the plan, vision, and determination to deal with the big challenges in healthcare. Our plan sets out in detail how we will deliver better access to healthcare when you need it, improve access to a GP when you need one, and end the crisis in our Emergency Departments.

“In terms of the Midwest Region, a Sinn Féin government will act decisively and with urgency. A Sinn Fein Minister for Health would, in the first 100 days in government, task HIQA to recommend a location for a second ED in the region.

“We would end the dangerous recruitment embargo and fast-track 288 additional beds for University Hospital Limerick to get ahead of the constant crisis in the emergency department.”

“Our plan for the Midwest would deliver 24-hour urgent care at Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s hospitals and deliver an elective facility for the Midwest region. We would bolster community services to better support the hospital, including out-of-hours GP care, extended pharmacy hours, and significant investment in community nursing and step-down beds.

“We have a situation where people are afraid to go to hospital when they need medical care, this is unacceptable in a modern society. We need to do better for our people and I’m asking people to support the Sinn Féin healthcare plan in the upcoming election”.