JUNIOR HEALTH MINISTER ADDRESSES UHG FULL CAPACITY PROTOCOL
Date Published: 28-Apr-2012
The Junior Health Minister says there is no pot of money to deal with budget over runs which result in emergency protocols at University Hospital Galway.
A full capacity protocol was in place for 12 days at UHG's casualty department before the measure was stood down yesterday.
The overcrowding measure had been activated by senior management to act as an alert to the county health system
It involved transferring some patients from the Emergency Department to the 12 wards in the hospital, where they were monitored by ward staff until a bed became available.
Speaking ahead of addressing delegates of the Irish Pharmacy Union in the city today, Minister of State At The Department Of Health Roisin Shortall says protocols such as this have to be put in place as hospitals try to stay within budget.