SEÁN KENNY TD GIVES GUARDED WELCOME FOR HEALTH FUNDING TO DEAL WITH BEAUMONT HOSPITAL A & E TROLLEY CRISIS

Posted on November 16, 2011 5:06 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin North East Labour TD, Sean Kenny, today gave a guarded welcome for a Department of Health Special Delivery Unit initiative through the provision of additional funding of €407,600 to Beaumont Hospital between now and end of this year to deal with the problem of patients waiting for long periods on trolleys in the Beaumont Hospital A & E Department.

"Recently I have been receiving complaints from constituents, particularly older people, who were experiencing delays of 3 to 4 days on trolleys before they were moved to a bed in a ward. I welcome this initiative as a means of addressing this issue" said Sean Kenny.

"Some of the main measures approved for Beaumont Hospital by the Health Minister include -

- Increasing bed capacity through the development of a 31 bedded ward
- Provision of rapid access nurse service on seven days per week basis", Sean added.

"The conditions attached to this initiative include

- A commitment on the part of the hospital to progress implementation of the HSE Acute Medicine Programme
- Ensuring that the hospital will have seven day ward discharge rounds
- Additional capacity, funded by this initiative, must not be offset by reductions elsewhere" he warned.

"I wish to pay tribute to the Beaumont hospital staff, and the A & E staff in particular, who provide heroic efforts to cope with the demands placed upon them" he concluded.