There are almost 55,000 adults on currently on waiting lists for an outpatient appointment at Galway University Hospitals.
More than 19,000 of these patients have been waiting over 18 months to be seen Galway East TD Seán Canney stated.
“It is a growing list and there seems to be no help or support coming from Government,” Seán Canney said.
He said that the one million people on hospital waiting lists nationwide are a “stark reminder” of the pressure on the health system, adding “We need to immediately make decisions to take the pressure away from the hospitals.”
Locally, Canney said that Tuam Primary Centre needs x-ray and ultrasound diagnostic facilities, and a Minor Injury Unit should be established in Galway to relieve pressure on UHG.
“It is imperative that the resources are put in place to maximise the use of diagnostic equipment in hospitals as a matter of urgency.”
“We need to be able to use this equipment full throttle on a 24/7 basis rather than on a 40-hour week basis”.
