Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy has called on the Minister for Health Simon Harris to introduce a stabilisation unit at Roscommon Hospital.
Eugene Murphy believes that establishing the unit in Roscommon Hospital and a minor A & E Unit at Merlin Park could help alleviate pressure on waiting lists in University College Hospital Galway.
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday morning during the debate and questions on the hospital waiting lists Deputy Murph said he noted that a staggering 11,604 people are currently on the in-patient and day case waiting list for University College Hospital, Galway.
“Listen to that number again-there are 11,604 people on the in-patient and day case waiting list in Galway- The Taoiseach closed down the A&E in Roscommon which was handling thousands of cases each year so there is no doubt that is part of the problem and has contributed to the huge waiting lists now in Galway,” said Deputy Murphy.
The Fianna Fáil TD called on Minister Harris to consider opening a minor A&E on the Merlin Park site in a bid to help alleviate the pressure on waiting lists in University College Hospital, Galway while he also proposed the establishment of a Stabilisation Unit at Roscommon Hospital.
“The stabilisation unit is a successful model in the UK in similar sized areas and basically it means you would not pass the doors of Roscommon Hospital- a patient could be stabilised for 24 or 48 hours and then moved onto another hospital,” said Deputy Murphy.
The Minister for Health Simon Harris said that Deputy Murphy was a great advocate for smaller level 2 and level 3 hospitals which could help take the pressure off level 4 hospitals.
“The Minister gave a positive response to my suggestions and he said that Roscommon Hospital had huge potential in terms of the Endoscopy Unit to take some of the scope procedures from larger hospitals and drive the patient flow into Roscommon and he noted that the stroke rehabilitation unit was underway and there were also plans for the hospice and he noted that the future of small hospitals like Roscommon was extraordinarily important.
“Minister Harris also indicated that he would be examining the opening hours of local minor injuries and minor assessment units to see if they could be open for longer to help take the pressure off Emergency Departments while he also agreed that the provision of some non-acute services on the Merlin Park site in Galway needed to be examined.
“Minister Harris now needs to act on these sentiments and take some real action to help alleviate the pressure on waiting lists for the people of Roscommon/Galway,” concluded Deputy Murphy.