Sinn Féin Deputy Pearse Doherty and Senator Pádraig MacLochlainn yesterday launched the party’s new discussion document entitled ‘The Need to Invest in Letterkenny University Hospital’ at a packed press conference which took place at Sinn Fein’s constituency offices in Letterkenny.
The event, which saw numerous representatives from the various patient advocacy and health lobby groups from across the county in attendance, was chaired by Sinn Féin Cllr Marie-Therese Gallagher before the booklet was officially unveiled by Deputy Doherty and Senator MacLochlainn.
Caption: L-R – Cllr Jack Murray, Senator Pádraig MacLochlainn, Cllr Liam Doherty, Cllr Gary Doherty, Cllr Noel Jordon, Cllr Marie-Therese Gallagher, Cllr Albert Doherty, Cllr Gerry McMonagle, Deputy Pearse Doherty, and Cllr Adrian Glackin.
The 31-page publication, which was compiled by the party and includes data which has been gathered through Parliamentary Questions and information sourced from the HSE, provides a detailed overview of service provision and patient demand at the hospital; hospital performance in areas such as waiting times and overcrowding, as well as statistics on hospital spending, resourcing and investment.
Speaking during the launch, Deputy Doherty said: “Sinn Féin is delighted to officially unveil our discussion document which Pádraig and I have compiled on Letterkenny University Hospital.
“It’s absolutely fantastic to see such a big crowd joining us for the launch, including representatives from the various health lobby and patient advocacy groups from across Donegal who, I must add, do absolutely phenomenal work on behalf of patients in the county to advocate on their behalf, and to petition strongly for the development of health services for all.
“I think firstly it’s important to provide a bit of context as to why we’re here today and the rationale behind this document which Senator MacLochlainn and I have put together.
“This document is the result of many months of research, and data gathering. The information contained within the booklet has been sourced by both Pádraig and I and has been obtained largely through the use of the Parliamentary Questions facility, but also from the various organisations, statutory authorities and bodies including the HSE, the NTPF and the INMO.
“It provides a detailed overview of service provision and patient demand at the hospital; hospital performance in areas such as waiting times and overcrowding, as well as statistics on hospital spending, resourcing and investment.
“In this booklet, we’ve sought to quantify the all frequently talked about chaos which exists within our health service by examining a number of the most important clinical areas by which we may measure performance, gauge the level of both provision and demand, as well as pin point service weakness at LUH.
“And on that note, it’s important to emphasise that while the document does not focus on any one sole speciality or service in particular, it instead seeks to offer the reader an easy to understand and readily accessible source through which to examine and scrutinise the hospital, its services and functions.
“In essence, this document is a discussion document, and here today we are hoping to begin that discussion and start a county wide dialogue on the hospital and its services, and what sort of future the people of this county want to see for its largest acute public hospital.
“The area of health is Donegal Sinn Féin’s biggest single priority, and both Pádraig and I have a long track record of highlighting the need to radically overhaul and improve health service provision for the people of this county.
“And so today, we are proud to present this document to all those who wish to be part of this wider discussion and we hope that everyone, including indeed all of the other elected representatives in Donegal, also engage and be part of what is arguably the most important issue facing us as a society.”
Senator MacLochlainn added: “I too want to thank all of the representatives from the various patient advocacy groups for being here this morning to help Pearse and I launch this document.
“It’s thanks to their tireless efforts and campaigning that health provision is kept at the top of the agenda here in Donegal, and for this they must be applauded and commended.
“Our document provides a window into the many challenges facing the hospital, including stark information on the length of time patients are waiting to access treatments and surgeries.
“Glancing throught the document, you’ll find some of the most disturbing facts and figures relating to hospital performance in recent years including stats on waiting times, bed numbers, hospital cancellations and budget allocation figures.
“For example, in 2015 there were 23,257 In-patient discharges at LUH, which is today the sixth largest public acute facility in the state.
“During the same year, 2,814 patients spent time on trolleys and chairs at the emergency department, while a further 2,713 patients were outsourced to private facilities to receive treatment.
“In 2015 also, the hospital had spent more than €9.7M on temporary agency staff , while last year alone there were 7,172 Outpatient Hospital Cancellations.
“Significant cuts have also been made to the operating budget at the hospital, with over €62M having been stripped from LUH’s operating budget between 2010 and 2016.
“The numerous examples which Pearse and I have cited in the booklet which include worsening waiting times, the outsourcing of patients, and escalating appointment cancellations, all point to a failure by successive governments to properly invest in LUH.
“It’s our hope that this publication provides an easy to understand and readily accessible source through which the people of this county can examine and scrutinise the hospital, its services, and functions.
“It also outlines Sinn Féin’s health policy ideas, which not only show how we’d provide greater investment in our acute public hospitals such as Letterkenny , but also how we would radically reform and overall the entire system to create a health service which we can all be proud of.
“As Pearse said, I hope that as many people as possible take the time to read the document, engage with it, and that they participate in this county wide discussion on the future of Health services here.”
Tags: