Department of Health needs "to get a grip" for the Midwest region - Lowry

"The Department of Health needs to get a grip and do whatever is needed to restore Nenagh and UHL to safe, adequate and proper healthcare services for the people of Tipperary and the Mid-West Region", Deputy Michael Lowry said in the Dáil on
Wednesday.

He described the situation at University Hospital Limerick as "out of control" and "chaotic" during a Regional Group Private Members Bill on pre-hospital emergency care and community care.

"Regarding UHL we were told that the injury units at Nenagh and Ennis would be upgraded, developed and expanded to cater for patients that do not necessarily need to go to an overcrowded UHL. On Tuesday, the Nenagh Unit was closed due to staff shortages.

"UHL has cancelled 600 surgeries in the past six weeks. This beggars belief. If the injury unit in Nenagh was properly developed and utilised, it has the ability to reduce pressure on UHL. We got assurances that this would happen – instead we
get the opposite", he said.

"It is impossible to believe or have confidence in the content of briefings or statements on behalf of the UHL Group of Hospitals", he said.

Addressing Minister Hildegarde Naughton in the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Deputy Lowry said that in medical emergencies, every second counts.

"When the misjudged decision to close A&E Departments in Hospitals such as Nenagh General was being fought, we all became very familiar with the term ‘Golden Hour’. ‘The ‘Golden Hour’ determines that appropriate treatment is critical within the first 60 minutes from the time of injury or the appearance of serious medical symptoms", he said.

"It was based on the informed belief that the risk of death or long-term complications significantly increases once this time has lapsed. This was back in the days when ambulances were staffed by a nurse and a driver tasked with urgently getting a patient to hospital.

"There were fears that increased distances to A&E’s could prove fatal. Nowadays, highly qualified Paramedics are trained to administer emergency medical care on the spot to people who are seriously ill or injured. Their job is to stabilise the patient before they are transferred to hospital.

"The National Ambulance Service saves lives. However, time is still of the essence. Delays cost lives," he said.

Last week during the Oireachtas Committee on Health meeting, Dr Cathal O'Donnell, Medical Director of the National Ambulance Service, said there has unquestionably been harm to patients due to ambulance delays. This harm is due
directly to the deterioration in response times to life-threatening incidents, Deputy Lowry said.

"Ireland has a rapidly growing older population. We also have significant population growth across the entire country. This substantially increases demand for all forms of healthcare.

"In 2022 there was a doubling of pedestrian deaths. Drivers accounted for 39% of road fatalities. 1,292 people were seriously injured on our road. Throughout Ireland, an average of 6,000 people suffer heart attacks annually, while 7,500 suffer strokes.

"Each of these people, along with the thousands of others we don’t hear about, requires prompt emergency care", he said.

"We need a properly resourced and fully staffed Ambulance Service to meet these demands. This fact can no longer be ignored. People’s health is not a can that can continue to be kicked down the road.

"People deserve the security of knowing that if an ambulance is called it will arrive within the fastest possible time", Deputy Lowry told the Dáil.