Hiding bed crisis truth is shameful

PATIENTS languishing on trolleys waiting for treatment is one of the worst scandals affecting this country.

At a time when the economy is supposed to be recovering many of our most vulnerable citizens are left to lie in corridors.

But what makes this worse is when bosses hide the patients in rooms that are generally required for other purposes.

University Hospital Galway knew Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was visiting on Thursday but unfortunately the previous day was one of the worst of the year for overcrowding.

The INMO’S Trolleywatch count showed 56 patients were waiting for a bed on Wednesday, with the situation described as “horrendous.”

But what bosses did to remedy the situation was not just wrong it was also dangerous and compounded the problems for the hospital.

Moving patients from trolleys to a room that is supposed to be used for day referrals left GPS with no choice but to refer people to underpressure A&E, which is just absurd.

It was said Maggie Thatcher in her time as PM thought hospitals smelled of paint, such was the rush to prepare for her visits.

Something similar happens here and when Mr Varadkar arrived in Galway you can sure he didn’t see the extended hospital at crisis point.

Mrs Thatcher may have been smelling new paint, well it’s time the Taoiseach woke up and smelled the coffee.