The waiting lists at Sligo & Letterkenny hospitals is the sign of a national crisis - Micheál Martin
The Fianna Fail leader and former Minister for Health Micheal Martin in Donegal today.
Micheál Martin, who is visiting Donegal today, has warned that the increase in waiting lists at both Letterkenny and Sligo General Hospitals a a sign “of a national crisis” in our health care. His concerns were echoed by local TDs Pearse Doherty and Thomas Pringle.
The leader of Fianna Fáil and a former Minister of Health told the Donegal Democrat: “The situation at Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital is indicative of a national crisis that has erupted in our health services over the past year.
“Since the Government scrapped the National Treatment Purchase Fund last year, hospital waiting lists nationally have soared by 47 per cent, while number are up by 72 per cent in Letterkenny and 54 percent in Sligo.
“This surge in waiting lists over a very short period of time is directly down to a deeply flawed policy of this government. Not only did they scrap the NTPF last year, they are now closing nursing home beds and shutting excellent facilities like Lifford Hospital. Meanwhile, they are cutting the budgets of acute hospitals like Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital. As a result, Sligo and Letterkenny hospitals will be under more pressure than ever before and patients face even longer waiting lists.
“This crisis must be tackled as a matter of urgency. I am calling on the government to urgently reinstate the NTPF with an exclusive focus on reducing hospital waiting lists in the North West and across the country. I am also calling on the Health Minister James Reilly to reconsider his deeply damaging policy of shutting up to 898 community hospital beds this year.”
New figures from the Health Service Executive show an increase of 1,007 patients or 72 per cent between December 2010 and December of last year Letterkenny General Hospital while Sligo has seen an increase of 54 per cent.
The figures released in the latest performance report from the executive for December 2011 show there are 2,402 people waiting for procedures at Letterkenny General Hospital which includes those waiting less than three months. The figures show 764 people, including six children are waiting between six and 12 months for planned inpatient and day care procedures at Letterkenny General Hospital. Another 721, including 23 children, are waiting between three and six months.
At Sligo General Hospital, the figures for December show there were 2,138 people waiting for planned inpatient and day care procedures. The figures show 414 people were waiting for between six and 12 months for planned inpatient and day care procedures.
The figures were released just days before local politicians in Donegal are due to meet with HSE management for a briefing on the impact on services of reduced budgets for this year.
Pearse Doherty told the Donegal Democrat: “While the figures are a damning indictment of government policy, they do not come as a surprise. The budget at LGH was cut by €8m last year and now it’s to be cut by another €4.3m, from €97m to $97.2m. Sligo is in a terrible position as well, with its budget but by almost €6.5m, from €98m to €91.6m.
“Both hospitals will see a stripping away of core services as a result of government policies. These waiting lists and the cuts in services are what the figures announced on Budget Day really mean for thousands of people who are in pain and suffering. The cuts haven’t even begun to really filter through yet.”
Thomas Pringle added: “It’s clear that the waiting lists are going to get longer. The most efficient hospital in the country, LGH, is being punished by having its budget slashed and the cuts at SGH are going to have such an impact. They won’t be able to deal with the workload.
“The whole thing makes a mockery of James O’Reilly’s policy of money following patients. The HSE talks about making ‘non-service’ cuts of €160m but it’s clear that all cuts are affecting front line services.
Man shot during burglary arrested in Edgworthstown Co Longford
One of three people who were allegedly caught in a Co Longford furniture factory was shot
A man suspected of being a burglar who was shot during a break-in has been arrested. The man, in his 20s, was detained after being discharged from hospital.
Three people were caught by the owner of a furniture factory at Kilmoyle, near Edgworthstown, Co Longford.
The businessman, aged in his 30s, fired a shot during the incident at around 6.30am on Thursday. The injured man was taken to Mullingar Regional Hospital. He is now being held at Roscommon Garda station.
One of the alleged members of the gang, who fled the scene on foot, was arrested a short distance away following a search by gardai.
Gardai stopped a third man, who is suspected of escaping from the scene in a stolen van containing work tools, on the main Sligo to Dublin N4 a short time later.
He and the first to be arrested are being held at Longford Garda station under the Criminal Justice Act.
The scene was sealed off for a technical examination.
Gardai said the businessman and his family, who live nearby the premises, were left traumatised.
Over 4,200 staff are now set to retire from the HSE in Ireland
A total of 4,326 staff, or 3,822 wholetime equivalent staff, are now expected to have retired from the HSE before the deadline for the pensions ‘grace period’ expires next Wednesday.
HSE CEO Cathal Magee told the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children today that at the end of January, 2,176 of these staff had already quit their posts, with a balance of 2,150 due to leave by next week.
Thousands of health staff are choosing to retire earlier than they originally planned in order to avail of more favourable pension payments before the February 29 deadline.
The HSE had estimated last month the number of wholetime equivalent posts it would lose would be 3,313, but there has been a greater than envisaged take-up of retirements.
Of those retiring, 2,300 are aged over 60 years and were already approaching retirement age, the HSE pointed out.
In a report presented to the Committee today, the HSE said the overarching principle in the wake of the retirements was to protect critical frontline services.
The health executive says it is planning to fill gaps in services through redeployment of staff, greater flexibility and productivity, specific funding to fill posts in mental health and primary care, and through targeted recruitment where necessary.
It says only a very limited and specific circumstances, such as where a specialist consultant service might be otherwise lost, would retiring staff be rehired. Some of the consultants had agreed to work on a pro-bono basis in these circumstances, according to the HSE.
The HSE said where critical gaps in services cannot be filled through staff redeployment or reorganisation of services €16 million has been allocated for targeted recruitment and filling of crucial roles aimed at protecting frontline care.
Local contingency plans were focusing only on the replacement of key essential posts that cannot be filled through other means.
The HSE acknowledged that many staff had shown considerable personal flexibility to meet the staffing and resource challenges.
Later, at a press conference, the HSE’s Director of Integrated Services Laverne McGuinness said they could not guarantee that every service would be covered following as a result of the retirements and the budgetary constraints, but the HSE was trying to ensure that essential frontline care would be covered.
According to the HSE, 1,490 staff are retiring from acute hospitals nationally. Nearly 2,000 nurses are retiring from hospitals and other services around the country
In the HSE South area, 326 staff are retiring, with 57 of these being replaced. Thirty two staff are retiring from maternity services in the region, with 23 of these being replaced.
In HSE North-East, 357 staff are retiring, with 71 due to be replaced, while in Dublin Mid-Leinster, 415 are retiring with 83 being replaced. Among these are 10 retiring staff at Holles Street Hospital, of whom six will be replaced.
In HSE West, 392 staff are retiring, with 77 of these being replaced.16.5 wholetime equivalent maternity staff are retiring from Limerick Maternity Hospital, of whom five are being replaced.
Work related stress increases during a Recession
Work-related stress increases during a recession, leading to more employees taking time off, according to new research.
A study among tens of thousands of civil servants in Northern Ireland undertaken by researchers at the University of Nottingham and University of Ulster found that one in four workers experienced work-related stress in times of recession.
The study, published in the scientific journal, Occupational Medicine, revealed that work-related stress increased by 40% during an economic downturn.
It also found that the number of staff taking time off due to job stress increased by 25% and total time off due to these types of psychological problems increased by more than a third during a slump.
Jonathan Houdmont, the study’s lead author, said national economic crises can have substantial implications for workers’ health and organisational performance, adding: “The findings suggest that those businesses which seek to reduce work-related stress during austere economic times are likely to experience lower staff absence and greater productivity.”
Sarah Page, health and safety officer at the Prospect union, commented: “When workers face reduced job security and an increased workload it is no surprise that depression and anxiety increase, along with absences from work. People feel afraid, uncertain, less supported by managers, and less in control of their lives.
“Previous studies of civil servants had shown that if organisational changes occur without consulting and involving the workforce, the effects on individuals are far more damaging.
“This is an issue where government, employers and unions can make a difference by working together. Employers have a duty to ensure workers’ health, safety and welfare at work, and that includes mental health. It shouldn’t be about trying to mop up the mess when it’s too late, but about introducing preventive measures and support networks.”
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