THE SITUATION in the accident and emergency department of Mid Western Regional Hospital has reached crisis levels, despite recent reports to the contrary.
City Labour Deputy Jan O’Sullivan and Party Spokesperson on Health, visited the A&E and claimed it was under severe pressure with overcrowding and long waits for assessment.
The deputy said: “I visited the hospital on Tuesday morning and it had to be seen to be believed; over 21 patients lying on trolleys, with approximately 30 more sick and elderly people waiting patiently to be assessed.
“Front-line health staff in the A&E are literally run off their feet and it is simply not acceptable that both staff and patients have to continue to endure these conditions. It is simply a fact that the Regional Hospital requires more beds and front-line staff to cope with the demands being placed on the hospitals services”.
She said that the recent statement by the HSE of proposed cutbacks in both staff and resources would not be sustainable if staff are to provide a safe and professional service to patients.
“The situation was critical enough before the HSE decided to close A&E services after 8pm in both Ennis and Nenagh, with all emergency cases referred to the Limerick Regional Hospital. This places even more pressures on staff to cope as best they can.
“I am extremely concerned that the situation in the A&E department is going to deteriorate even further, and urgent action by HSE management is now needed to stabilise the situation”.
She was in no doubt that the cutback in opening hours of the Ennis and Nenagh A&E units is not only adding extra pressure to the Limerick accident and emergency, it is also having a detrimental impact on the people of these towns and the surrounding areas.
In one case, a Kilkee man died in an ambulance in the early hours of Monday morning while he travelled the 59 miles from his home to Limerick Regional.
His grieving wife claimed that he may still be alive if the opening hours at the significantly nearer Ennis A&E had not been reduced.
