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[My husband] has a condition and it’s got much worse, so we rang yesterday, were told to go to A&E, so we came this morning. It’s packed, there are people everywhere, it’s just unreal, there’s no room to walk around. It’s just so bad. It’s not the staff – the staff are great.
I think the problem is, there’s a flu epidemic, doctors won’t take responsibility and are sending people to A&E, and it’s putting pressure on the system. Same thing happened last year – it’s not any worse this year, it’s just not improved.
In the Emergency Department there’s trolleys everywhere – all along the walls and corridors. I’ve overheard staff saying a number of times amongst each other, ‘We’ve over 100 patients – how are we going to get through them?’ There’s people waiting over 15 hours. It’s just jam-packed.
These are the views of some people at St Vincent’s Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) as given to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday.
The government are searching for solutions to the hospital crisis, which is under pressure at the best of times, but is buckling because of a surge in winter-related illnesses.
The latest figures from the trolley watch report show that today, there are 578 people on trolleys and wards across hospitals nationwide – a significant drop from yesterday’s figure of 602 (both these figures exclude St Vincent’s Hospital’s ward figures).
Yesterday, Health Minister Simon Harris described the situation in Irish hospitals this week as “a perfect storm”, while also saying that the current crisis couldn’t have been predicted – a remark which has drawn criticism from political rivals and those working in the healthcare system.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson on health Billy Kelleher said that a review of beds needed in Irish hospitals had to be an independent review – because the ‘HSE couldn’t be trusted to review the system accurately’.
This morning Damien McCallion, HSE Director for Emergency Management told Morning Ireland that they have been working with the hospitals and ambulances to improve conditions.
He said there has been a fall in the number of people on trolleys in Limerick hospital because of coordination with the HSE, but also admitted that they weren’t meeting targets for patient admissions.
The winter initiative had a number of levels including additional capacity at hospitals, and community intervention teams or ‘hospitals at home’.
McCallion said that the plan wasn’t effective, but that the situation would be a lot worse if they hadn’t prepared before Christmas.
He added that other measures are clearly needed, and that there are plans to open new beds at Tullamore, an A&E unit in Limerick and a support unit at Portlaoise, but that they were long-term solutions.
Ambulances stuck for hours
“Two days ago in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, six ambulances were available,” Siptu representative Paul Bell this morning. ”Five of those ambulances were stationary on hospital grounds, and that’s just one example.”
Patients who are brought to hospitals are waiting between one and three hours before they’re transferred to hospitals across the country – this compares to a target transfer time of 20 minutes or less.
It’s important to note that the majority of patients travelling by ambulance don’t have the flu – they are suffering from a heart attack or a stroke and need urgent hospital care. But it’s those who travel to the A&E department with the flu that create the additional demand on the healthcare system.
Bell said that some patients were waiting up to six hours to be transferred and that this meant ambulances were stuck on hospital grounds and unable to respond to calls.
We’re seeing a huge amount of ambulance vehicles being held on hospital grounds, not being available for calls, not being available to respond within the recommended times.
He also said that this is causing the public concern, as they think there aren’t enough ambulances, when in fact the ambulances are “getting caught in the accident and emergency department”.
“Once there’s no space, that’s the position you’re put in.”
The hospitals with the least space and the most chronic issues are Limerick, Letterkenny, Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda, Cork University Hospital Waterford, and the Mercy, according to Bell.
Each winter period, there is a surge in demand for A&E services and hospitals in general because of the winter flu and vomiting bug, and the great risk that poses for older people in particular.
This year has seen a record high number of over 600 people on trolleys or waiting for beds in hospitals for two days in a row – which follows a growing trend in hospital demand.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Six One News last night, A&E consultant at Tallaght Hospital Dr James Gray outlined problems around isolation requirements for some patients and said what was happening is “far from first world medicine”.
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FG on course for an epic victory, couldn’t be happier :)
@Paul M Doe: Well done.
@Tezmond McVicar: thank you :)
Hopefully Independents and small parties like the freedom party and Independent Ireland do well.
@common sense: It’s a pity we haven’t more politicians of Carol Nolan’s calibre!
@Dave Callaghan: I like her
@common sense: Far-right parties like the ‘Freedom Party’ are the last thing we need. Hopefully they’ll run separately and split their vote.
@Brendan O’Brien: It’s a matter of time before a far right party get into power, just like the rest of Europe. Macron in France had to join the literal Communist party of France to stay in power by the skin of their teeth. They wont survive the next one though. Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Germany etc. all following
@Cole Palmer: all the more reason to resist it now
@Cole Palmer: Nazi smurf would be dropped off at pre-school, the tiny goon that he is!
@common sense: you mean all those who got a mere 1% support in June ?
@common sense: really need to change your name from common sense with that post.
@Cole Palmer: the funny thing is, if the far rite get elected, the first they would get rid of are the very fools that voted them in.
@Cole Palmer: 100% agree
@common sense: that’s 1% of the vote taken care off
The choice of opposition is shocking but have to choose them over these robbers.
@Basildon Joe: northern bank robbers?
@Paul M Doe: I’d have voted for them if they weren’t so pro Palestine terrorists
@Basildon Joe: says a lot about you that you would have even considered
If it works don’t fix it. But either of the FF or FG parties have the historic record of running the country to a high level. The left wing muddlers world wide are being exposed and rejected. The population especially the poor need a successful economy to pay for services.
@thomas molloy: We are one of the richest countries in the world. We have a powerful economy. We have horrific public services with many crises due to a neoliberal government with two main parties of the same nature for the last 100 years. Running the country to a high level… ehh, maybe for the private sector?
@deadslys: yes agree with you. 100 years and trying to privatise everything biggest problem here
@martin finnegan: fully agree. But there are two problems. Firstly, neo liberalism has come to be accepted as ‘natural’ and people believe there is no real alternative. Secondly, apart from pbp we have no party that absolutely opposes this ideology. Of course, they get little or no coverage, and when they do, they routinely f up because they have no real understanding of how to make their alternative appeal to voters. Depressing situation really.
@Alan: No coverage! That twerp is never off the telly
Yeah like it’s going to make any difference! Ff/FG back in power again, but make sure you vote so it looks like you have a choice!! You don’t!!!
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. So stop crying over nothing.
@pat kelly: You do have a choice. Yes, FF and FG will probably win, but enough seats to govern on their own is by no means a certainty. There are lots of other parties out there who could form part of a coalition, and a good coalition party can have a big say in a program for government. So use your vote!!
@pat kelly: people need to vote , otherwise this government benefits from your lack of voting. If you want change, you need to vote strategically, no point in voting independents if they are ex ffg,
As they lost their seats for a reason.
If you want change vote every other party except ffg.
@pat kelly: so you will be crying but won’t bother to vote ,your kind are the worse
Yes independents all way no way voting ff or fg
Reason lot young people in particular are struggling to get out mam s and dads. For all rest Irish getting doc appointment and let not forget cost living so hard have life here if was 20 year younger and no bills id leave here . Very hard get ahead no get basics here
@martin finnegan: if you do, don’t go to England. It’s even worse there.
Make sure you are registered, and get out and vote for FG
@Lefty Cries: Getting polled at last Virgin?
@Freda Peeple: sex obsessed looper is on repeat lol
@Paul M Doe: Stop teasing me you slippery little virgin xoxo
@Lefty Cries: Never tell anyone who to vote for. None of your business.
@Tezmond McVicar: on the 29th, I will be outside my local polling station, telling voters to make sure they vote for FG
@Freda Peeple: serious incel vibes lol
@Tezmond McVicar: ignore the FG bootlicker
@Freda Peeple: Is this fried egg back again? He was very quite in the Trump being elected articles.
ANYONE THAT VOTES FFG G SF NEEDS TO GO SEE A PYCHRIS
@M G: You need to see a typist.
@M G: What is a “pychris”?
Who was it who said “Bad governments are the result of good people not voting”? Register. Decide. VOTE!
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: well said
If Sharia Fein get into power I am going to request Donald Trump to nuke Ireland
Hopefully good and competent politicians from FF/FG/Greens/Social Democrats/People before profit will rule this country! Far right parties=drug gangs should be banned in Ireland forever!
My independent turned out to be a woke clown. So I will not vote
@Dan Murphy: then don’t complain it you can’t be arsed voting
Can anyone say they know of any young people who actually bought on the grants. The government is bantering about.
Leaders questions is farcical.
100,000 vacant properties still lying idle.
Wait till Trumph reduces corporation tax in USA then all the cards will fall in Ireland unfortunately.
Mongo is pawn in game of life!
@damien leen: at least get the quote right lol
@Paul M Doe: hey….IFKU…have a nice day…
I have no interest in voting, for what it’s just a hopeless cause
@Paul: maybe educate yourself,
Voting is your right, every vote makes a difference ffg love people like you.
@Colette Byrne: so by not voting you are voting for the government.
I will certainly use my vote, but how, that’s yet to be mulled over.
Nearly 20 years in Ireland still can’t vote
@Mickstawowy: I believe you need to apply for citizenship or be from the UK. What do you expect?
@Mickstawowy: Are you a citizen?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Not all Irish citizens living in Ireland can vote! That sounds like noncese but it’s exactly what is going on. Person with a certificate of naturalization declaring him and Irish citizen cannot vote because when he submits this certificate of naturalization as a proof of his citizenship – he recovers NO any reply! They just ignore such requests. That is totally unlawful and absolutely disgrace but exactly what happens at present – Irish citizens with proof of their citizenship sneaky not allowed to vote!
@Mickstawowy: your not a citizen.
@Colette Byrne: why should you have to be a citizen to vote!if you have lived in Ireland for a number of years, shouldn’t you be allowed to have some say in electing the government?
@Soundy Sound: yeah 2,5k e and tones of paper for myself and my lovely wife so feck it better go for holiday
have your say