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Frank O’Rourke TD has said the latest hospital waiting lists from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show the outpatient waiting list in Naas General Hospital is continuing its relentless upward surge
Frank said the figures show a 50% increase in the total number of people on outpatient waiting lists in the hospital since May 2016.
Continue reading “O’ROURKE SLAMS FAILURE TO TACKLE NAAS WAITING LISTS”
Frank O’Rourke TD spoke in the Dáil earlier this week on the Fianna Fáil motion on hospital overcrowding and how it affects elderly people.
“Our hospitals are at crisis point. Naas Hospital had 851 people, aged 75 or over, waiting on trolleys or chairs in the Emergency Department, since the start of the year. Delayed discharges are another problem. Proper step down facilities and Home Care supports could resolve this and I call on the Minister to provide extra resources, for both the Housing Adaptation Grant and the Home Care Package, to allow elderly people be cared for safely, and to live independently, in their own homes.”
You can see Frank’s speech here
James Lawless has welcomed news that essential funding has been provided for an extension to Naas Hospital
The HSE Capital Plan 2019 recently allocated funding to the long awaited extension of Naas Hospital. The new endoscopy, day procedures and oncology units can now progress to the design stage of the process.
James commented, “This summer the County Council extended the planning permission for this extension, which was originally granted in 2014, and it is good to see that concrete funding has finally been allocated to this much needed project. I have raised this matter over the past few years with the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and I will continue to follow up on this issue and ask that the extension proceed as quickly as possible following the 5 year delay.”
His comments come as Kildare County Council announce that it has decided to allow the HSE to extend the planning permission for a significant extension of Naas General Hospital.
The extension would include a new endoscopy/day services unit as well as Physical medicine and oncology departments.
James commented, “The extension of planning is welcome. However it also serves to highlight the HSE have stalled on this project since the original planning was granted in 2014. The endoscopy unit in particular is badly needed, I have visited the hospital to inspect existing facilities and I have raised this on the floor of the Dail with Minister Simon Harris. Whilst the planning is key and I welcome this decision, it is imperative that the HSE now press ahead with funding and concrete plans to develop this needed extension.”
At a time of major overcrowding crisis in our Emergency Departments, there are hundreds of hospital beds closed in the health service
James said, “In Naas General Hospital there are staff shortages reducing the capacity of inpatient hospital beds. 172 beds were lost to the health system for a variety of reasons. Worryingly 33% of the bed closures were as a direct result of staff shortages. In our own hospital in Naas there are currently two beds down due to staff shortages.”
“Despite a lot of hot air from successive Fine Gael Health Ministers, little or no progress has been made in stemming the flow of nursing and medical graduates out of the Irish health system, and even less progress made on attracting those professionals who emigrated from Ireland.” Continue reading “LAWLESS SLAMS CLOSED HOSPITAL BEDS”