Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly TD has welcomed the fact that her request that the Minister for Health be summoned before an emergency meeting of the Joint Committee on Health on Wednesday 15th January regarding the hospital trolley crisis, has been accepted.
Speaking this morning, Teachta O’Reilly said:
“The scale of the ongoing overcrowding crisis is of huge concern to patients, healthcare workers, and the public.
“The public health system is currently crippled by a lack of capacity and staff, and hundreds of patients are struggling to access our hospitals daily.
“It has been clear that the planning of the Minister for Health and HSE Officials has failed, and the consequences are drastic with hundreds of patients stuck on trolleys for days and surgeries being cancelled at a number of hospitals across the State.
“The situation is putting the health and well being of patients and staff at risk.
“The response to the crisis by the Minister and the HSE has just not been good enough.
“As a result, last night, I contacted the Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health requesting that the Minister for Health and HSE Officials attend an emergency meeting of the Committee to discuss the hospital trolley crisis.
“I welcome the fact that the Committee meeting has now been scheduled for next Wednesday and the Minister and HSE Officials will be in attendance.
“I would urge any medical or healthcare professionals who have suggestions as to how to tackle the overcrowding crisis to reach out to me and the other members of the Health Committee in advance of the meeting with their suggestions.”
