Government has failed Cork Health Services

Cork University Hospital asks public to explore other options before attending Emergency Department – 65 on trolleys today.

Labour Cork Cllr John Maher has called for urgent action from the Government to address the crisis in Cork University Hospital where there were 65 people on trolleys today, that a plan is needed to alleviate the overcrowding crisis with no sign of the annual Winter Initiative being published.

Cllr Maher said:

“The shocking news that Cork University Hospital is asking the public to avoid the hospital by exploring other options before presenting to the Emergency Department is deeply concerning.

“This is only early November and we already have an overstretched hospital, while South Doc is in crisis and GPs cannot accept emergencies. This is the result of eight years of Fine Gael at the helm in the Department of Health.

“We have yet to see the Winter Initiative, and what will happen in our hospitals in December and January when the flu season kicks in?

“Figures from the INMO show that today there were 65 people on trolleys in CUH, the highest in the country with 47 in the Emergency Department and 18 on wards. Yesterday there were 60 people on trolleys which was the second highest in the country with 46 in the Emergency Department and 14 in other wards. From the start of November there have been 205 people waiting on trolleys in CUH, that’s 8% of the national total. The INMO have described the national figures as ‘obscene’. There were also 26 people on trolleys in Mercy University Hospital yesterday and 23 today.

“We now have a real crisis in Cork and we still haven’t seen plans for how bed capacity will be increased during the difficult winter months. Sick patients deserve better, as do frontline staff who are having to work through very difficult conditions.”

“We now need an urgent response from the Government about how they will stop this getting worse and help those in need.”