Galway emergency crisis

The HSE has confirmed that the emergency department of Galway University Hospital had 51 patients lying on trolleys overnight yesterday, which was the highest number ever recorded.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for an immediate lifting of the moratorium on hiring frontline staff.

Meanwhile, all elective surgery at the hospital has been cancelled for a second consecutive day. At 8am today, there were 19 patients awaiting admission.

The HSE admitted there were still long delays but extra staff have been drafted in.

Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly said consultants had reportedly called for the Galway A&E to close on health and safety grounds.

"Clearly this news, coming on top of an underfunding crisis, exposes a hospital that is being asked to do a job it simply cannot cope with and does not have the resources it needs," he said.

Dr Reilly said there were still 20 people this afternoon on trolleys in the corridors of the A&E department yesterday afternoon.

"It is my understanding that the fire officer has recommended in the past that no more than five are permitted. This, of course, takes no cognisance of patient dignity or indeed patient care.”

[Posted: Fri 26/03/2010]