YEAR FOR UHG ACTION PLAN ON WAITING TIMES TO BE REALISED

Date Published: 14-Aug-2011

The HSE West has admitted it will take 'at least a year' for the benefits of UHG's action plan on emergency waiting times to be realised.

The response was made following a Galway Bay FM inquiry into the high numbers of patients waiting on trollies at the public hospital.

In a statement, the HSE West says that whilst waits in the emergency Department is 'regrettable', steps are being taken to cope with additional demand for services.

However, it states it will take at least one year for the benefits of the acute medicine programme for UHG, announced in December 2010, to be realised.

Last Friday, UHG had 29 patients on trollies, the second highest number waiting for treatment at any hospital across the country.