Appeal for bank holiday plan at Mayo hospital to address overcrowding

A former Castlebar councillor has written to the CEO of the Saolta Hospital Group, Tony Canavan, calling for a plan to be put in place to guarantee patient safety in Mayo University Hospital over the June bank holiday weekend.

Harry Barrett made his appeal after major overcrowding issues in Mayo University Hospital after the May bank holiday weekend.

He has asked the CEO to ensure that there are consultants available throughout the weekend to discharge patients and that key services like radiography, continue throughout the bank holiday weekend.

He also demanded that sufficient home care packages and stepped down beds are made available, so as to speed up the discharge process.

He stated: "We cannot continue to stand over Mayo University Hospital offering only a five-day a week service for core procedures, and a four-day service over a bank holiday.

"This is causing major delays and it all ends up with up to 40 patients lying on trolleys for hours and hours on end.

"The sooner our hospital moves to a seven-day schedule, every week, with proper rostering, the sooner we will fix this trolley crisis.

"Mr. Caravan also has to demand sufficient step down beds that are needed to allow people immediate discharge.

"Many of our district hospitals could be used for this purpose and indeed there are many local nursing homes who would certainly provide an emergency service like this.

"I fear that we will have a rerun of the overcrowding that was experienced over the May bank holiday weekend if these measures are not put in place.

"If this happens it just means more pain and suffering for sick vulnerable patients.

"The current four-day service is not fit for purpose and I remind people that these issues will be on the ballot paper in the next general election."