Improving primary care system in Ireland must be key part of reducing trolley crisis and hospital overcrowding
Labour health spokesperson Marie Sherlock said the failure of successive Government’s to invest in primary care is a crucial factor, alongside the shortages of beds and staff, in the chronic overcrowding we are seeing in hospitals.
Deputy Sherlock said:
“The INMO figures published today make for grave reading. The number of patients languishing on trolleys during the month of February is the worst since their records began. This on the same day that the Lancet has published an editorial calling out Ireland’s “inaccessible primary care system”.
“Today’s figures are the direct result of the failure of successive Government’s to address the pressure the health service is under.
“What is desperately needed is serious investment in our primary care system to relieve the situation.
“The focus in recent weeks has been on extending the availability of hospital services into the weekend. This is one of a number of crucial parts of the jigsaw and it is vital that it is done in conjunction with safe staffing levels along with the increase in beds that are desperately needed. But it will not plug the gap in our two-tier health system.
“However, the elephant in the room is Ireland’s poor system of primary healthcare which is crippling hospital capacity.
“We know that a quarter of the population delay GP visits due to costs, with the RCSI publishing research this week showing that those with chronic conditions forego parts of a basic acceptable standard, or part of the medication, due to the high costs.
“As the Lancet editorial rightly points out, despite being one of the richest countries in Europe, Ireland is the only European country without universal coverage of primary healthcare.
“We need to see the new Minister step out of crisis management, and take a more proactive planning approach to delivering the health care that people need and deserve.”