Mayo hospital chaos 'will be a general election issue' - Barrett

"The suffering of sick, elderly patients lying on trolleys in Mayo University Hospital is continuing and will be an election issue because the key cause of this suffering is not being addressed,"

This is according to Castlebar Independent Councillor Harry Barrett

Barrett was speaking after Mayo University Hospital endured another week of high trolley numbers leading to an apology from the hospital for the delay in treating patients in the emergency unit.

He hit out:, "Sick elderly patients continue to suffer daily as they try to access healthcare in our main hospital because the key cause of this crisis is not being addressed.

"There is a severe doctor shortage in Co. Mayo that is well below safe limits and this shortage becomes critical at the weekend when there is no cover at all except Westdoc.

"Westdoc, because of this weekend shortage of doctors, will tell sick patients to go to the emergency unit in Mayo University Hospital if they can't wait for hours.

"This is causing a massive backlog of patients from all over the county in our hospital. It's a crazy system and can't continue.

"Over the last two months I have had questions put down with the HSE West Forum asking for doctor numbers to increase in this county and for targets to be set in this regard.

"However this forum is continuing to fail in terms of giving me specific answers on doctor numbers.

"I have also had a question asked about using our district hospitals and primary care centres at the weekend and the use of telemedicine to alleviate this emergency, and again the same stock answers come back.

"It is time now that this government is held to account for these failures and not the staff of Mayo University Hospital.

"They also suffer due to work overload and psychological distress from seeing patients suffer as they wait and crowded corridors on hospital trolleys at the weekend.

"I want basic dignity in the health service, and this is not happening at the weekends in our emergency department. This must become an election issue."