Worry over ‘broken’ health system
THERE is growing anxiety in Wexford about the ability of the ‘broken’ health service to meet the needs of people who become ill, according to the Fianna Fáil councillor, and General Election candidate, Lisa McDonald.
Cllr. McDonald hosted a public meeting in the Ferrycarrig Hotel on the future of the Irish health service that was addressed by Susan Mitchell, Health Editor of the Sunday Business Post, Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail, President of the National Association of General Practitioners and Stephen McMahon of Irish Patient Safety. Paul Kelly, Consultant in Emergency Medicine in Wexford and Waterford attended for the HSE while former Fianna Fail minister Hugh Byrne and paramedic supervisor Cllr. Ger Carthy (Ind) also spoke.
‘Outrage is growing among people in our community about the state of the health service. They see yearly increases in budget spending on health yet waiting lists are growing istead of getting shorter. Our emergency departments have never been as overcrowded. People feel worried and anxious about what will happen to them if the become ill’, said Cllr. McDonald.
‘Many of the contributions from the floor would break your heart’, she said. ‘Parents talking about terrible waiting times for their children to get basic treatments and children fearful about ever having to bring an elderly parent to the Emergency Department for fear they would be left lying on a trolley’.
Susan Mitchell’s comment about the national media giving more attention to remarks by the former HSE Director General about the Minister for Health than the serious and chronic challenges the system itself faces was interpreted by Cllr. McDonald as further proof that the focus has been taken off patients.
Stephen McMahon highlighted patient safety as being a major concern. Recently, there were court cases in which it was reported that many people employed as doctors did not have the required experience or qualifications.
Dr. Ó Tuathail outlined the frustration being experienced by G.P.’s when referring patients to hospitals for appointments and treatments.
‘I have been contacted on numerous occasions by patients who have been told that their hospital appointment is three, four or five years into the future. How is this acceptable’, Cllr. McDonald told the meeting.
‘We already spend 170% of the OECD average health spend yet the service being delivered to our citizens just isn’t up to scratch’, said the Fianna Fail councillor.‘I’m naming it a broken system. We need to make this a political issue and start saying that as Irish people we are not taking any more of this. I’m sick of Wexford being bottom of the league as we fall between two different hospital groupings’.
‘The many suggestions that were provided by our speakers and from the floor will be sent onto our Health Spokesperson, Stephen Donnelly TD and fed into Fianna Fáil’s next manifesto. It’s essential that we get this right,’ she said.