Ms Karen McGowan:

That is a good question. The environment in which we are working in emergency departments is very much out of our control. As previous speakers have highlighted, our doors are open 24-7. The indignity of what patients endure in these emergency departments is horrendous. We witness the trauma these patients experience. Our trauma pales in comparison with what these patients endure, and every day it is getting worse. This is simply not being managed and it is getting worse.

The Deputy spoke about quick fixes. Our emergency departments keep throwing us life lessons year after year and we are not learning from them. Quick fixes will not fix this. We have a solution in Sláintecare and it is not just about acute care. From community to acute care, it is the solution we want and it needs to be implemented. The environment in which we are working is horrendous and patients are enduring so much trauma.