'Health Minister should visit WRH at 5am’ – John Halligan TD

Waterford’s Independent TD, Deputy John Halligan, has invited the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, to visit Waterford Regional Hospital at 5am some weekend in order to witness first-hand the dire consequences of cuts to the health services.

During a blistering attack on the HSE in the Dail last week, Deputy Halligan described how a 92-year-old man was left in a distressed condition in a chair for several hours at Waterford Regional Hospital when a bed could not be found for him.

"The Minister is always welcome in Waterford", Deputy Halligan told the Dail. "He should pop down to Waterford Regional Hospital, which serves 500,000 people, at 5 am on a Friday morning and see what is happening in the accident and emergency unit and then tell me that the service is improving."

"At WRH, waiting lists for specialist treatment and surgery are about to get longer and no amount of spin can gloss over the cold, hard reality of budget reductions coupled with the Government moratorium on staff recruitment and the increase in the numbers of staff retiring early due to the change in pension entitlements." Deputy Halligan continued: "I understand it is a difficult situation due to the budgetary cuts, but when a 92-year-old man is left stressed and sitting in a wheelchair in 2012, we must ask what is happening in this country."

Deputy Halligan accused the Health Minister of not listening to health workers on the ground. "With significant numbers of people retiring and the increasing numbers of people using the service, how can we possibly say we will have a service that is worthwhile? That is not possible. All one needs to do to realise this is to speak to nurses, doctors and front line service providers."

Deputy Halligan went on to highlight the enormous difficulties facing local health professionals. "WRH faces cuts of up to €14 million euro, the departure of up to 70 nurses by next month and the closure of three of its eight operating theatres, a surgical ward and a number of inpatient and outpatient beds. The shortage of nurses has already a caused a reduction in beds and the closure of an entire ward, with 25 beds taken out of commission.

"Putting the matter simply, if more people need and come in to use the health services while we cut down on numbers and do not replace them, how can there be any improvement in the service? It is not possible to improve the service in that situation."