Sinn Féin TD for Kerry, Pa Daly, has spoken out on political pressure being brought to bear to transfer patients from the waiting list for endoscopy procedures in University Hospital Kerry to the Bons Secours Private Hospital, Tralee.

Teachta Daly said

“Brendan Griffin TD has been applying pressure to the management of University Hospital Kerry to explore the transfer of patients re endoscopy procedures.

“This culminated last week as Teachta Griffin asked his party leader Leo Varadkar about his campaign in the Dáil.

“Teachta Griffin framed the matter as UHK ‘not co-operating’ with the National Treatment Purchase Fund, neatly ignoring the clinically informed direction of UHK management to be given the resources to carry out the work themselves.

“I am calling on the HSE to put the resources in place to clear the lists. Privatisation and outsourcing has long been shown to be a short term measure which costs the state more and prevents investment in our hospitals.

“The waiting list must be addressed, but UHK is perfectly capable of performing the procedures at a rate to clear the list and healthcare professionals inform me that this is clinically preferable.

“It must be provided with the resources to do so, and the provision of resources is where the efforts of politicians and the HSE should be focused. Our healthcare workers have been through enough without their decision making being questioned in this manner.”