Local Councillor Charlie O’Connor has called for effective action in respect of recent revelations that so far this year almost 6,000 people aged over 75 years of age have experienced a wait time over 24 hours in Emergency Departments nationwide. The information has been provided by the HSE to Billy Kelliher TD, the Fianna Fail spokesperson on health. Charlie O’Connor said that he was particularly concerned about the situation in Tallaght hospital and also at St James’s hospital and Naas hospital.
According to Charlie O’Connor, the figures for the Region are Tallaght hospital (adults) 133 St James’s hospital 137 and Naas hospital 339. He said that “it is clearly not acceptable that so many older and indeed more vulnerable people should have to endure such long waits in Emergency Departments in our hospitals.” He also said that a 2012 HIQA report recommended that the total patient time spent in an Emergency Department should be less than 6 hours. Indeed he added that a previous Minister for Health had set up a Task Force to implement the HIQA report and it was of great concern to him that little progress has been made.
The local Councillor who is a member and former chairman of the Regional Health Forum, Dublin Mid-Leinster, has already tabled business for the September meeting of the Forum in respect of the matter and has called on the HSE to confirm what actions are being taken to deal with this worrying situation.
