10th October 2013, Thursday
By TheCork.ie
news@TheCork.ie
Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, has today (Thursday) welcomed the
reduction in the trolley figures for the first nine months of the year
at Cork University Hospital, which are 40% lower than they were for
the same period in 2011.
The Government TD says this improvement has been replicated across the
country with the national figures recording a substantial 32%
reduction, which in real terms means there were 21,300 fewer people on
trolleys this year compared to 2011.
“In 2006, when the trolley wait figure reached 500, the Minister for
Health Mary Harney, declared the situation a ‘national emergency’. In
the final months before Fianna Fáil was ousted from Office, that
figure reached 569 as the crisis spiralled out of all control.
“On coming to Office, Minister Reilly immediately set about addressing
this issue in a bid to reduce the unacceptable number of patients
being forced to endure a hospital stay on a trolley. He did this by
establishing the Special Delivery Unit, which was specifically charged
with tackling this long standing problem.
“Today’s figures are proof that this initiative is working and I am
delighted to see that the number of people on trolleys at Cork
University Hospital for the first nine months of 2013 has been reduced
by 39.97%, compared with the same period in 2011.
“The figures reveal that so far in 2013, there were 3,157 people
recorded on trolleys at Cork University Hospital. That figure is down
from 3,378 in 2012 and 5,259 in 2011. When direct comparisons are made
to 2011, the trolley figures for this year have been reduced some
39.97%. When compared to last year, we see that trend is clearly
continuing in a positive direction with a reduction of 6.5% being
recorded.
“I am not for one minute suggesting that having 3,157 people on
trolleys is acceptable; it is not. However, it is encouraging to see
that real progress is being made in tackling this issue.
“I am delighted to see that, despite budgetary constraints and the
economic challenges that are faced by all Departments, the Health
Minister has gotten to grips with the trolley crisis. I commend all
those involved with the Special Delivery Unit for their hard work and
effort in bringing matters in this area under control and for the
positive impact they are having on patients’ hospital stays at Cork
University Hospital.”
