IHCA comment on HSE’s response to the findings of the National Inpatient Experience Survey 2019

According IHCA President Dr. Donal O’Hanlon:

“The HSE response to the findings of the National Inpatient Experience Survey 2019 will not address the causes of the systemic delays in accessing Emergency Department care at a time when 70% of patients have to wait for longer than the HSE target time in Emergency Departments.

The response sets out the areas that it hopes to improve but its’ ‘solutions’ make no attempt to actually address the root causes of the delays in emergency care that patients are encountering.  

“The HSE’s response comes on the day that largest number of people ever waiting for care on a trolley in an Irish hospital was recorded today, with 85 people currently waiting for care at University Hospital Limerick. 

Key issues identified by patients include very long waiting times in Emergency Departments and the absence of hospital staff such as doctors or consultants to speak to about their concerns whilst in hospital. 

There is a shortage of hospital consultants, with one in five of all permanent hospital consultant posts now unfilled, and there is a lack of sufficient bed capacity to meet patients’ needs.  

The Minister for Health and Government are continuing to let down vulnerable patients by failing to introduce any meaningful solutions to improve access and quality of care for Irish patients”. 

ENDS. 

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