Clare’s Independent TD believes the time has come to examine whether the Emergency Department at Ennis General Hospital should be re-opened.
It comes in the wake of record-breaking trolley numbers at University Hospital Limerick this week, which has prompted calls for an independent review to be carried out.
The level of overcrowding at the region’s main hospital has finally dipped today, following a week of record-breaking figures.
Trolley numbers peaked at 111 yesterday, but today, while University Hospital Limerick remains the busiest in the country, the INMO’s latest analysis shows that number has dropped to 70.
The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that he intends to ask the Health Minister and the HSE to issue ‘further examination’ to serious overcrowding issues at the Dooradoyle facility.
The INMO has called for an external review to be carried out by HIQA, as well as direct intervention from the HSE and the Minister for Health, but Clare’s Independent TD believes a review must be carried out by an expert outside of the Irish Health system and Government.
Michael McNamara says the current situation raises the question of whether reconfiguration of the hospital system in the Midwest has failed.
The Scariff Deputy believes it’s now time to examine whether Ennis General should revert back to a Model Three hospital.
Clare’s Fine Gael Senator believes the Emergency Department at Ennis General should re-open, as long as it can be done safely and in line with international standards.
Martin Conway says mistakes were clearly made by closing the EDs in Ennis and Nenagh before the centre of excellence was ready in Limerick.
The Ennistymon Senator, who’s his party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health, says capacity is certainly an issue, but funding is not.
