Crisis measures at hospital as overcrowding leads to ‘bedlam’

BY ENDA CUNNINGHAM

Crisis measures have been put in place in University Hospital Galway after the Emergency Department breached full capacity – more than 50 people were waiting in trolleys yesterday, the Sentinel has learned. 

The situation was described as ‘bedlam’ by a staff member yesterday, with patients being left on trolleys in the public waiting area of the Emergency Department, and trolleys being brought onto the wards. 

It has led to renewed calls for the Department of Health to intervene and seize control of the hospital to solve the spiraling crises there. 

Staff were told yesterday that ‘full capacity protocol’ was being put in place in the hospital in an effort to relieve the serious waiting problems. 

The Sentinel understands that more than 50 people were awaiting admission with no beds available. 

“The Emergency Department is bedlam. There are trolleys in the waiting room and being sent to wards to ease congestion,” a source said. 

It’s the latest in a series of disastrous weeks for UHG, with the hospital continually making and breaking records for the number of patients left on trolleys. 

A fortnight ago, the HSE was forced to issue a plea for patients to stay away from the Emergency Department unless absolutely necessary. 

The crisis has been worsening since a new system was rolled out in UHG under which management ordered that patients be moved to a ward within one hour of a bed being allocated – nurses said it showed no understanding of how bed management actually works. 

HSE West Regional Health Forum Chairman Padraig Conneely said: “The Department of Health has to take over the running of UHG. We have to take a stand. Galway is continuously the worst-performing hospital in the country, and it’s getting worse. 

“HSE management are not able to solve the problem. The Department needs to take over the running of it,” said Cllr Conneely. 

Last week, Galway West Fine Gael Deputy Brian Walsh submitted proposals to Health Minister Dr James Reilly under which control of the hospital would be seized from the HSE.

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