IRISH HOSPITAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION COMMENTS ON HEALTH PRIORITIES FOR 2015
IRISH HOSPITAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION COMMENTS ON HEALTH PRIORITIES FOR 2015
Commenting on the 2015 Health Priorities published on 23rd January, Dr Gerard Crotty, IHCA President has said:
"The targets identified on patient care in acute hospitals are extremely disappointing and only serve to reduce expectations, which is good politics but bad for patients.
No patient should have to wait on a trolley in an Emergency Department after the decision to admit the patient to hospital has been taken. Setting a target to reduce the number of patients on trolleys in ED's waiting for admission for over 9 hours by one third to less than 70 is an unacceptable target from a medical care perspective.
Furthermore it is a major concern that the new elective surgery and outpatient list target is not to have anyone waiting longer than 18 months by mid-year and 15 months by year-end."
Dr Crotty added: "These unacceptable targets only serve to condone the underfunding of acute hospital frontline services and are of grave concern with respect to patient care in an appropriate timeframe. Minister Varadkar needs to engage with the Association to agree how to improve service delivery so that more patients can be treated and the current unacceptable delays and growing waiting lists are addressed properly."
ENDS
For more information:
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