Gino Kenny warns of 'twindemic' and condemns ED conditions
Gino Kenny warned of a possible 'twindemic' of Covid and the flu that could overwhelm Irish emergency departments and hospitals, and strongly condemned treatment of patients in EDs. He cited 500 people on trolleys, including family members, described their experience as criminal, and challenged the minister on the government's winter plan.
Twindemic risk
Gino Kenny said there is a very real threat to the Irish health system in the coming months from a twindemic between Covid and flu, which he warned could overwhelm emergency departments and hospitals.
Emergency department conditions and trolleys
He stated there are 500 people on trolleys in ED departments and cited personal family experience, calling the treatment of some patients "criminal." He was explicit that his criticism was directed at the HSE and the way people are treated in EDs, and said it was not the fault of staff.
Accusation against the HSE
Kenny said "People in the HSE should be in prison for the treatment of some of the people that are treated in ED departments," condemning the organisation's handling of patients and the government's role in that treatment.
Winter plan and ministerial response
Kenny described the minister's recently announced winter plan as a byword for crisis management and asked whether the minister had confidence in it and in the Irish health system to treat people decently. The minister responded that he had confidence in the health system, pointing to national outcomes - life expectancy, cancer survival, stroke, heart disease, maternal and neonatal mortality - and said patient experience surveys give the service high ratings, while also acknowledging problems with access such as overcrowding and waits of "three days for bed."
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There's a very real threat to the Irish health system in the coming months. The possibility of a twindemic between Covid and the flu has the potential to overwhelm the emergency departments and the hospitals in this country. And at the present moment there's 500 people on trolleys in ED departments including a number of family members of mine and their experience was criminal. Criminal that people in this country that worked all their lives are treated that way. People in the HSE should be in prison for the treatment of some of the people that are treated in ED departments. Not the staff's fault but the HSE and your government, how they treat people in this country in ED departments. Minister, you announced the winter plan this week. I think it's a byword for crisis management. Do you have confidence in that plan and do you have confidence in the Irish health system to treat people decently? Thanks Deputy, as somebody who has worked in the Irish health system and as somebody who has used the Irish health system I do have confidence in it. And you only have to look at our outcomes. Whether it's life expectancy, whether it's cancer survival, whether it's stroke, heart disease, maternal mortality, neonatal mortality. Just compare with our nearest neighbour with the NHS. Much better patient outcomes. But that doesn't mean that I am blind for a second to the problems that many patients face. The vast majority of patients when asked say that they are happy with our health service. Give it very high ratings in the patient experience survey. But there are patients who face real issues with access. Whether it's overcrowding in our emergency departments or whether it's people waiting. Three days for bed. I don't discount that for a second. It's laughable. Absolutely laughable. All right. All right.
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