Councillors call for electives-only public hospital in Mid-West

RECORD overcrowding at the Mid-West’s main hospital has been strongly condemned at a meeting of Clare County Council, with an urgent call for a new regional facility for elective procedures.

A motion from Councillor Johnny Flynn at April’s meeting called for a public, electives-only hospital, “in light of the record trolley numbers, lack of bed and clinical capacity at UHL”.

The Fine Gael member said it would be “a failure of government” if no such facility was provided, given the worsening issues at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), in terms of emergency care and the growing waiting lists for elective procedures.

“Everyone is very familiar with the Teamwork Report, published in 2009, because it recommended the closure of three Emergency Departments,” Councillor Flynn said.

“At that time, they had combined admissions of 39 people per day. In March 2022, that figure was 245. In January 2012, there were 304 people on trolleys and that was considered to be an emergency.

“In January of this year, that figure was 1,300. That’s quadrupling of demand on the ED in the Mid-West.

“Teamwork and the reconfiguration plan were based on having proper acute care, proper elective care and pre-hospital care.

“The pre-condition of the ED closures was that these should be adequate. They are far from it. Today’s paper has figures from the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) showing that there are 837 vacant consultants’ posts.

“Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) are working crazy hours and they’re burned out. Four hundred of them have gotten visas to leave the country.

“The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have figures to show that nurses are also burned out from workload, conditions and a lack of resources.

“We have also heard about concerns with out-of-hours GP cover and ambulance services. There are several issues accessing primary and continuing care.”

Councillor Flynn described the government announcement, earlier this month, of new elective hospitals for Galway, Cork and Dublin as “shocking”.

“There is not one in the Mid-West while we currently have 98 people in the Mid-West – our friend and neighbours – on trolleys today.”

The Ennis man pointed out that former HSE CEO, Tony O’Brien, had recently told Clare FM that an elective hospital is needed in the Mid-West.

“We must urgently write to the Health Minister and our Oireachtas members,” he said.

“It will be a failure of government if the Mid-West is not included on the list for elective hospitals, as soon as possible.

“We asked for 24-hour ED cover to be restored to Clare and we’ve been told we’re not getting it. We need an elective hospital, preferably to be located in the centre of this county.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor Donna McGettigan.

“If you have a place that is supposed to keep you safe and to cure you, and people are afraid to go there, then you have a problem,” she said.

Councillor Liam Grant described the idea of an electives-only hospital as “a good approach and a good idea”.

“Ennis would be a great place to have this facility,” he said, undertaking to raise the issue at the Health Service Executive (HSE) Regional Health Forum.

Councillor Joe Garrihy supported the motion saying that with the redevelopment of St Joseph’s Hospital, Ennis could become a centre of excellence in a range of health services.

Councillor Flynn thanked members for their support.

“The ED situation at UHL is far ahead of the next worse hospital,” he said. “Meanwhile, we have too many people not getting access to non-acute care. This has to change.”