Number of cancellations at Mayo hospital last year revealed

Mayo Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh has revealed that cancellations at Mayo University Hospital reached 915 last year.

That's according to new data released by the HSE.

Deputy Conway-Walsh said: “The government is failing to tackle hospital overcrowding which is leading to record levels of cancellations.

“This includes more than 645 procedures, including 211 inpatient surgeries. There was also 270 outpatient consultations cancelled.

“The government’s lack of a plan for overcrowding was impacting directly on waiting lists through cancellations.

"The government was shifting the problem from emergency departments to waiting lists, leaving patients waiting longer for access to care.

"Our local heath services have decimated and a crisis created in our hospitals in Mayo.

"There is a need to fast-track elective centres so that we can separate unscheduled, emergency care from scheduled surgeries and procedures.

"This will increase surgical theatre capacity, help to reduce the number of cancellations, and free up capacity in hospitals for emergency care.

“There is also a need to invest in home support, community step-down beds in places like Belmullet, Ballina and Swinford and diagnostic capacity so that patients can be discharged home or to a supported care setting when they are ready, and to ensure that patients’ experiences are not delayed by lengthy waiting lists for scans," she added.