BEAUMONT OVERCROWDING A SERIOUS CONCERN - KENNY

Posted on August 31, 2011 12:06 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin North East Labour TD Seán Kenny today responded to comments by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

"It is obvious to many people throughout communities in Northside Dublin that there is a serious overcrowding problem in Beaumont Hospital. The INMO are commenting on something that is already known about at a community level. Cutbacks have caused the closure of 60 acute beds in the last year, and this is compounded by the fact that 81 patients who were fit to be discharged were not able to be because no nursing home beds were available.

"I have heard that patients on trolleys are being put in behind doors or between existing beds on in-patient wards. What really concerns me here is that this situation is of particular concern as it is happening during the summer season, where there is no surge in admissions caused by seasonal illness.

"I am calling for three things in order to deal with this situation and to prevent it from becoming a common occurrence. firstly, that the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) carry out an inspection at Beaumont similar to their recent intervention at Tallaght hospital. Secondly, that Hospital Board calls an urgent meeting to consider the situation. Finally I am calling on the HSE to speed up the opening of the additional long-stay capacity at the community nursing unit at St Joseph's Hospital in Raheny.

"Beaumont Hospital serves the entire Northside of Dublin and beyond. While I am acutely aware of the tough economic climate, the hospital must be able to cope with overcrowding and the facilities needed to help the hospital do this must also be provided to the hospital. The need to place patients behind doors or to cram them into wards quite simply should not arise."