Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody here this morning and especially Mr. Gloster. It is my first time to meet him in person since he was appointed to his new role. I congratulate him and look forward to working with him. There are a number of issues I would like to raise, mainly around University Hospital Limerick, UHL. There was a discussion last week and the HSE brought forward its plans for the future and areas of priority. I want to raise the delay in people being discharged. Is it due to a shortage of beds in nursing homes or a shortage around community care and home help? On the mental health services, I understand quite a few people are long term in the likes of unit 5B. My understanding is that there is no physiotherapy service there currently, and that there are no hoists available in the unit either. Those issues are causing a problem. I know Mr. Gloster probably cannot address them but I would like him to look into it. A number of people there require those services. Because they are on a waiting list and people have to come from other units, it is delaying them for a couple of days. It is causing a problem in terms of people who are there for longer than they should be.

Three elective hospitals have been suggested and to date, there has been a lot of discussion. The CEO in Limerick said that they would like to have an elective hospital in Limerick because we are one of the fastest-growing regions. Has there been any discussion or are there any plans to look further at that? Limerick has been selected in respect of the surgery hubs. Will it be one of the hubs that will be fast-tracked? Numbers at the hospital are quite worrying. Recently, there have been more than 100 people on beds each day. We have discussed the greater use of the other hospitals in the region here before. Is that being looked at currently or is it planned? It was committed to but there has not been any improvement. I am wondering where that is at.

I note a trauma unit is being considered for Cork. Should a trauma unit be considered for UHL? Senator Conway pointed out that 50% to 60% of people are presenting without having been to a doctor. If there was a trauma unit, would it help to send the people who are critically ill to the accident and emergency department and the people who may not need as much care to the trauma unit?