‘Letterkenny A&E department has been operating under extreme pressure’
Fine Gael Senator Manus Boyle outlined the pressure being placed on the Accident & Emergency department due to the high volumes of people requiring care
The “extreme pressure” facing Letterkenny University Hospital was highlighted at the Oireachtas Health Committee.
Fine Gael Senator Manus Boyle outlined the pressure being placed on the Accident & Emergency department due to the high volumes of people requiring care.
“I bring up the chronic overcrowding levels in the hospitals in the west and north-west area,” Senator Boyle said. “The Letterkenny hospital accident and emergency department has been operating under sustained and extreme pressure for the last while.
“Looking at the figures in the west and north-west area, they are a lot worse than other areas, which seem to be performing a lot better. I want to find out from the Minister why is this. Is it down to management, funding or staff shortages? Is it because of delayed discharge or inadequate bed capacity?
“People are waiting anything from eight to 16 hours on trolleys. Can the Minister look into this for me? This morning, I saw the INMO said industrial action may be needed to highlight the hospital overcrowding in the west and north-west area.
“We cannot allow this to happen. The Minister might clarify what the problem is in the west and north-west area and come back to me.”
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