Organisers of a protest at Letterkenny University Hospital are pleading with the public ““If You Care – Please Be There.”
The Day of Action protest will take place this Saturday, January 21st at 1pm.
It will be one 14 hospital locations to hold a community and staff Day of Action starting at 1pm to highlight the overcrowding crisis that is impacting the staff and patients equally in our local hospital.
Organisers of the event have pleaded with the public to come out in large numbers.
Mary T. Sweeney, Chairperson of the Letterkenny Hospital Campaign has condemned the latest figures from the HSE which shows A&E continues to deal with record attendance levels.
She said: “On Tuesday this week Letterkenny was second only to Cork University as worst affected hospital in the country with 54 patients waiting on trolleys.
“Hopefully, this Saturday will see one of the most widespread mobilisations of citizens in this country in support of a functioning health service.
“In some places we expect thousands to turn out and in other cases it will be hundreds. But the message is crystal-clear – there is deep anger and frustration across Ireland at the constant chaos in our failing health service and our message in Donegal is simply: “If you care – please be there.”
She added that this crisis has not happened by accident.
There is a capacity crisis in the A&E system nationally, largely because the HSE has closed down many of the step down beds and A&Es in recent years at a time when the population of the state is growing, she said.
“It just does not make sense. The HSE cut 6,000 hospital beds since 2008. There are 30% too few GPs in the state and we are short of 700 consultants.
“We are short of 200 ICU beds. Pay and conditions for staff are so bad that many are voting with their feet and leaving the HSE altogether and sadly many are leaving the country. We need to stop this brain drain of our experienced doctors and nurses and experienced healthcare staff. This downward spiral in our health service needs to be stopped now.”
All 37 Donegal County Councillors have been invited to take part in the protest.
Ms Sweeney added that there has been increasing interest in the campaign.
“We have received a fantastic response from those who we have talked to on the ground. We have also invited all 37 Donegal County Councillors many of whom sit on the HSE Regional Health Forum Group and again we have had a positive response.
“However, I want to emphasise the non-party political nature of this campaign. This is a cross-community initiative – no party, union or group can do this on its own. What is at stake transcends all party politics.
“The main purpose of this event on Saturday is to highlight the overcrowding experienced in our A&E department and the impact on staff and patients. We wish to underline to Government that additional staff and resources need to be prioritised for Donegal towards front-line services and that accountable Value for Money is the key driver of all Health Service expenditure.
“We would also encourage the public to highlight on protest placards what they feel represents the failings they have experienced, in their personal message to the HSE services, whether its access to Mental Health, Children’s Services, A&E etc.
“We need a change of attitude from the Department of Health and HSE and this can only be achieved by shouting as loudly as possible, all together. And in Donegal, we need to shout at least twice as loud.
“There are signs of change coming. This winter’s chaos, which is costing hundreds of lives, needs to be a turning point in the development of a functioning health system in Ireland.”
Those interested in taking part in the protest are urged to come out to the Bus Bay, immediately above Letterkenny Hospital’s new A&E entrance, on the Kilmacrennan Road, on Saturday at 1pm.
“We plan to push home this point loud and clear so the Government and the HSE listen. I hope the people of Donegal will gather into Letterkenny to make it one of the loudest protests in the country,” concluded Ms Sweeney.
