Fianna Fáil General Election candidate in Mayo Cllr Lisa Chambers has criticised An Taoiseach's department and the Minster for Health for their inaction as the crisis at Mayo General A&E continues and health services nationwide deteriorate.
She said, "It has been a particularly bad week for the health service with reports of procedures being cancelled in a number of hospitals across the country due to rising numbers presenting at the country's A&E departments. University Hospital Galway was the latest hospital to cancel procedures which no doubt will affect Mayo patients. Mayo General continues to operate under sever pressure and despite repeated calls to An Taoiseach to address the issue there has been little or no action to date."
She went on to say: "Last week I was accused of making a political football out of the crises at Mayo General even though I have been highlighting this issue for in excess of a year, having tabled numerous questions at the HSE West Forum, specifically dealing with the number of patients persistently languishing on trolleys at Mayo General. The correct and proper response from An Taoiseach's office should have been that he would be working with his Minister for Health to find a solution to the problem immediately."
The first term county councillor continued saying, "This issue is not going to be buried until the election is over, Mayo's patients are demanding action and will not be placated by empty words or promises of a better future somewhere down the line. It is the one issue that keeps coming up on the doors when I meet with people. They are horrified at the stories they hear about Mayo General and the conditions patients and staff are expected to endure. I am calling on An Taoiseach and Minster for Health Leo Varadkar, to seriously address this issue at the hospital and offer real solutions and a plan as to how they propose to deal with the problem before it worsens any further."
