Deputy Pearse Doherty has described the deepening hospital crisis as a national scandal, with 418 patients on hospital trolleys at Letterkenny University Hospital last month.
The Donegal TD raised the worsening trolley crisis in the Dáil today, with nearly 12,000 patients languishing on hospital trolleys in the month of May.
Deputy Doherty said “Today, I raised the worsening trolley crisis in our hospitals with the Minister for Housing in the Dáil.
“Figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show that almost 12,000 patients were left on hospital trolleys in the month of May, including 300 children.
“This was higher than the numbers on hospital trolleys in January of this year, the worst on record since figures have been published.”
At Letterkenny University Hospital, 418 patients were on trolleys last month compared to 74 the year before.
Deputy Doherty claimed the Government has normalised overcrowding in our hospitals.
He added “They have failed to deliver the additional beds required across our hospital network and at LUH.
“Together with botched recruitment schemes, this has led to an intolerable environment for both patients and healthcare staff.
“In the Dáil today I challenged the Minister on this Government’s failure to address this scandal that has plagued our hospitals for almost two decades.”
