Sinn Féin TD for Tipperary Martin Browne has welcomed the decision from the government to not oppose or amend Sinn Féin’s plan for safe health care in the Mid-West.
The Party put forward a motion in the Dáil this week that calls for a second emergency department for the Mid-West region.
Deputy Browne now wants the terms of reference for the HIQA review of urgent and emergency care services in the Mid-West to be updated to include the examination the best location for a model 3 hospital with an emergency department to support UHL, and to set timeframes for delivering on this commitment.
The Sinn Féin motion also called on the government to fast-track additional bed capacity for the region given that the people of the Mid-West cannot wait years for a second full ED to be delivered before they receive safe care.
Four Tipperary TDs spoke during the extensive debate on the Sinn Fein motion with Deputy Alan Kelly sharing that his father is currently in hospital and says older people in particular are afraid to go to UHL.
Deputy Kelly also raised the issue of Cancer Care in UHL saying there are delays in service due to a shortage of specialist staff.
Deputy Martin Browne highlighted that there are five Emergency Departments in the HSE Dublin and south-east region with a population of 970,000 people, while the Mid-West has only one ED for a population of 413,000.
Deputy Michael Lowry told the Dáil “that it is evident and obvious to everyone that the Mid-West region needs a model 3 hospital – the only question to be determined is the location – adding that it is a matter of urgency.”
Deputy Mattie McGrath accused the Government of being afraid to tackle senior management at the hospital adding that the Minister Stephen Donnelly, and the Junior Health Ministers should take the blame and accept responsibility for the service provided in UHL.
