13% increase in October trolley numbers is a worrying trend for winter months
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said Minister Harris needs to make it his business to publish the Winter Initiative this week.
Deputy Kelly said:
“While Brexit and other issues have dominated headlines, 7,713 people have been on trolleys since the beginning of October – a 13% increase on the same time period last year.
“The figures are stark and if this trend continues without any action or recognition from Minister Harris, we are certain to have absolute chaos in hospitals across the country.
“I have been calling on Minister Harris to publish the HSE Winter Initiative for months now and we still haven’t seen plans for how the Government plan to boost bed capacity during the difficult winter months.
“Not only do sick patients deserve better, but hardworking frontline staff cannot endure another winter of discontent in our hospitals.
“We cannot continue to become desensitised to trolley numbers. These continuing depressing figures are staggering and show how Fine Gael’s health policy is continuing to fail our sick and vulnerable citizens.”