Sheehan calls for action on UHL
Labour Cllr and General Election Candidate Conor Sheehan has called on Government to take serious and immediate action to address failures in UHL.
Cllr Sheehan said:
“The INMO’s Trolleywatch figures show that once again University Hospital Limerick is the most overcrowded with 86 people on trolleys as of today. This news comes following the harrowing report into the death of Ms Aoife Johnson published on Friday.
“We’re facing into the winter months now which is the time that all hospitals come under increased pressure. Minister Donnelly and the CEO of the HSE need to ensure that safe nurse to patient staffing ratios are a priority to keep people safe and ensure that no other life is lost due to systemic failings in the system.
“I am urging Government to take immediate action for the people of the Mid West. Tomorrow evening, the Dáil will debate a motion on the future of healthcare services in the region. There’s no more time for lip service. It’s time for political accountability in Government and Minister Donnelly needs to act.
“Limerick needs a model three hospital to cope with the demand on the system. Similarly, as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association has long highlighted, more must be done around the recruitment and retention of nurses and healthcare professionals to ensure that there are safe staffing levels in our hospital.
“Everyone attending a hospital deserves to be treated with the care and respect that they need but unfortunately, staff in UHL are utterly burned out and exhausted. They are continually picking up the pieces for this Government and it’s not good enough.
“Over the past decade Ireland’s health budget has grown from €13.7bn in 2014 to €22.8bn in 2024, and yet it is still threatening to overrun by hundreds of millions of euro again this year. There is no shortage of money being thrown at health in Ireland, but it’s time for people to see some value. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have thrown in the towel on one of the greatest challenges facing us this winter.”