New figures have revealed that 47 patients aged over 75 had to wait over 24 hours for care in Letterkenny University Hospital Emergency Departments in 2019.
Between January and November last year, just over 27% of elderly patients were admitted within 24 hours at LUH, according to patient data.
The HSE said that the number of older persons presenting to Emergency Departments is growing higher than the overall increase in the general population. Older patients are also much more likely to be admitted to hospital and will stay twice as long.
The data was revealed to Sinn Féin spokesperson on health Louise O’Reilly. Her party colleague Pearse Doherty has blamed the delays on Fine Gael’s “lack of planning for the health service throughout 2019”.
Deputy Doherty said the figures are a representation of older people’s health being put at risk.
He said: “Older patients are often among the most vulnerable people in our hospitals due to their age and the additional medical needs that can sometimes accompany aging. Their being treated urgently prevents escalation of injury and ensures safety and swift treatment.
“I have spoken to many staff members in Letterkenny University Hospital and they are at breaking point. The doctors, nurses, and all the staff do an amazing job and they are doing more with less resources; they are treating more patients than ever before even though there is a recruitment and retention crisis across all areas of the health service.”
Nationally, 15,344 patients over the age of 75 had to wait over 24 hours for treatment in Emergency Departments around the State between January and November 2019.
Doherty continued: “Fine Gael say the overcrowding issue can’t be fixed overnight, but they have had eight years to make the necessary changes and yet they have just made things worse.
“For over a decade now Sinn Féin have been saying the solution is more capacity and more staff for Letterkenny University Hospital – however, the government are damaging capital projects across the State due to the children’s hospital overspend, they have implemented a recruitment ban in the health service, they have consistently failed to properly implement a health service Winter Plan, and they appear to have no interest in implementing Sláintecare.”
