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Hospital overcrowding continues
06.01.15
OVERCROWDING continues
today at Letterkenny General Hospital with a total
of 31 patients waiting to get a bed.
The situation has led to the cancellation of day
surgeries and other theatre procedures for the rest
of the week. (LGH telephone number 91 25888)
The overcrowding follows a day when an unprecedented
563 patients nationally were waiting for a hospital
bed yesterday.
It has also emerged that the HSE national director
of acute hospital services, who has been tasked with
tackling the overcrowding problem, has tendered his
resignation.
It is understood Dr Tony O’Connell, who took up the
position just last year, is due to return to
Australia. |
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Letterkenny General Hospital. |
Meanwhile, Ireland's
Anti-Austerity Alliance has today demanded that
2,000 hospital beds which have been closed because
of cut backs are re-opened as the overcrowding
crisis escalates.
AAA councillor, Cork-based Mick Barry said: “In
2006, then Health Minister Mary Harney declared a
'national emergency' when 495 patients were on
trolleys. This crisis is being caused by health cuts
not by easily foreseeable seasonal factors.
“Despite the Minister for Health warning that the
current crisis of 563 people lying on hospital
trolleys was inevitable, it has now emerged that the
Government rejected an appeal from the HSE for an
extra €100 million to its budget and only gave them
€25 million." |
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