Rose Conway-Walsh warns of health system capacity crisis
Rose Conway-Walsh urged the Taoiseach to include healthcare capacity in the national risk assessment, arguing the health system has insufficient spare capacity ahead of public health emergencies. She set out figures on waiting lists and gave examples of ambulance delays and delayed urgent referrals to underline the risk.
Healthcare capacity and national risk assessment
She told the Taoiseach that healthcare capacity must be included in the national risk assessment as well as public health, warning that "when the public health emergency hits, it is already too late."
Waiting lists and children's impact
She noted that before the pandemic the country had the longest waiting list in the EU and said today there are over 800,000 people on some form of waiting list, including 96,000 children.
Ambulance delays at Mayo University Hospital
She described the end of COVID restrictions at Mayo University Hospital, where six ambulances were lined up and some had already been waiting five hours, using this as evidence of the system's lack of capacity.
Patient experience with breast clinic referrals
She recounted speaking to a woman who had an urgent GP referral for a breast check but was told she would have to wait three months, highlighting delays for urgent diagnostic care.
Direct request to the Taoiseach
She concluded by asking the Taoiseach to assure members that healthcare capacity will be front and centre of the national risk assessment, stressing the urgency of addressing capacity shortfalls.
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The Taoiseach, healthcare capacity has to be included in the national risk assessment as well as public health. We know beyond question that when the public health emergency hits, it is already too late. I want to commend those who work inside that system on the front line. Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, we had the longest waiting list in the EU. We had one of the longest and strictest series of lockdowns because we had so little spare capacity in the health system. Today, we have over 800,000 people on some form of a waiting list, including 96,000 children. Last week, the end of the COVID restrictions was announced at the front of Mayo University Hospital. We had six ambulances lined up. Some of them had already been waiting five hours for an ambulance. We just don't have the capacity there and I think it is an enormous risk. It is an enormous risk as well in terms of the woman I spoke to last week, who had an urgent referral for breast check for the breast clinic from her GP, yet she was told she would have to wait three months. Can you please assure us that healthcare capacity will be front and centre of our risk assessment? Yes. Thank you very much. I'm quite very happy. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, Barrett. Thank you. I've had some support. I'll bring you back. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, bye. Thank you.
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