The long-awaited new operating theatres for orthopaedic surgery at Merlin Park could be up and running by the end of this month, but the numbers on orthopaedic waiting lists in Galway continues to grow.
This is the view of Independent Galway West TD, Noel Grealish, who was reacting to confirmation from the HSE that the theatres are expected to be equipped and be completed by the end of March.
In September 2017, a leaking roof forced the closure of two operating theatres at Merlin Park. The cost of the new theatres is €10.57 million and includes two new operating theatre suites, a scrub room, anaesthetic rooms, disposal room, recorder bay, staff changing rooms, office, kitchenette, and interview room.
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In written correspondence, following a parliamentary question from Dep Grealish, the HSE said it is anticipated that c3,000 orthopaedic procedures will be carried out in the new theatres initially and, “depending on staffing”, this figure should increase to more than 4,000 procedures a year.
Dep Grealish has welcomed the development, but pointed out that there are more than 7,800 people on the orthopaedic waiting lists in Galway, as inpatients or outpatients. Furthermore, the numbers waiting have gone up by 21 per cent in Galway since September 2017, compared with less than 11 per cent in the rest of the State.
Also, the number of people waiting for inpatient operations in Galway has shot up by 48 per cent over the past four and a half years, while the numbers nationally have fallen by 13 per cent.
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“It is people who have been waiting in pain for serious operations such as a hip operation or knee replacement who have been especially affected in Galway,” said Dep Grealish [pictured above]. “The saddest part is that many would be in the older age category, whose quality of life has been hugely affected and their ability to move about has gone in many cases.”
Dep Grealish said he would be pressing the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, and the HSE to ensure “nothing stands in the way of clearing the waiting lists and ending the agony for so many people”.
