There were more than 7,000 outpatient cancellations at Letterkenny Hospital last year, it has been revealed.
This has increased from 5,340 cancellations in 2013.
The sharp rise has been slammed Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn who described the figures as “absolutely appalling”.
He said “I have warned that the consequences of the Government’s approach to the crisis in our hospitals and the near permanent use of the full capacity protocol at Letterkenny University Hospital would result in more and more cruel cancellations for people on hospital waiting lists.
“Unfortunately the figures that I have received in response to a parliamentary question reveal that there were 7,172 outpatient cancellations at Letterkenny University Hospital in 2016. This has increased from 5,340 cancellations in 2013. This is absolutely appalling.”
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), other trade unions and senior healthcare professionals had all warned that the use of the full capacity protocol in response to emergency ward overcrowding was “robbing Peter to pay Paul” because people on waiting lists or outpatients would face increased cancellations.
Senator Mac Lochlainn added “But it’s worse than that. You are not even “paying Paul” if you look at the numbers of Donegal people on trolleys at Letterkenny University Hospital last year.
“The shortcuts and the gimmicks are not working. There is a crisis across the entire health system from the home care packages through to our community hospitals and right through to our major hospitals like Letterkenny University Hospital.
“The Minister for Health and the Government need to reverse the years of cutbacks to our health service. They need to outline a multi-year plan for the necessary investment in beds and staff across our broken system”.
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