Galway West TD Noel Grealish has welcomed what he described as ‘a breakthrough’ in his long-running campaign for a minor injury unit to be opened in Galway.
He said that confirmation that the HSE was now actively considering such a facility for Galway could result in a reduction by more than 20,000 of the numbers presenting at the Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway.
“This has the potential to transform the experience of people needing urgent medical attention at the Emergency Department of UHG, and end the trauma of patients having to spend 12 hours, 24 hours and even longer to be seen,” he said.
Deputy Grealish said he had raised the issue numerous times with various holders of the office of Taoiseach, in the Dáil and outside, going back many years, seeking a minor injury unit — which could treat a range of ailments from broken bones to burns — to be established on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital.
But while the responses to the idea had been favourable, Galway was still waiting. However, the Independent TD said that he was hopeful of a positive outcome finally to his campaign as a result of a response from the HSE to the latest Parliamentary Question he had tabled to the Minister for Health.
A reply from Chris Kane, General Manager, Galway University Hospitals, revealed that an expansion of injury units — of which there are currently 14 in the country — had been recommended in February of this year by the oversight group of the HSE Operations Injury Units Review implementation.
“The Department of Health have requested more detail and one of the priority areas is Galway, the view is that there should be a separate location for a minor injury unit in Galway, potentially at Merlin Park University Hospital,” Ms Kane’s reply added.
Deputy Grealish said he hoped that movement could be made quickly on advancing the facility for Galway, stressing that the opening of a minor injury unit in the city was vital if pressure was to be relieved on the overcrowded Emergency Department.
“Last year, the UHG Emergency Department had one of its busiest years ever, with more than 75,000 people being treated there — and I have no doubt that that number could be reduced by 20,000 or more if there was a minor injury unit option for people to go to.
“There’s a hugely reduced time for people to be seen and treated at these units, less than two hours on average and much less than that in many cases. And they can handle everything from broken bones and dislocations to minor burns and scalds.
“Last year, three out of four people who came through the UHG Emergency Department didn’t have to be admitted to hospital, and the vast majority of that 57,000 could easily have seen in no time in a minor injury unit.”
Deputy Grealish pointed out that the minor injury unit in St John’s Hospital in Limerick last year treated more than 17,500, while units in Ennis and Nenagh — both within 40 miles of Limerick — had seen almost 22,000 more between them.
“That means that within what you could call the Limerick catchment area, almost 47,000 people were examined, treated and discharged without going near the Emergency Department in the University of Limerick Hospital.
“Going by those figures, it’s no exaggeration to say that the number of people crowding into the Emergency Department at UHG could be vastly reduced, by 20,000, maybe 30,000 people, with the availability of a minor injury unit option locally.
“What a difference that would make to people with more serious conditions and injuries who would be seen much more quickly in the ED, and what a difference it would made to all the staff who are under such pressure and stress at the moment.”
Deputy Grealish said he had been consistently raising the unfairness of Galway not having such a facility when the number of them around the country had been increasing, to the current total of 14 — of which three are in Cork, with two each in Dublin and Tipperary.
He had been greatly impressed by the efficiency of the units when he visited the nearest one to Galway, located in Roscommon Hospital, where the average time from entry to discharge had been less than an hour.
