Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

That response is outrageous and shameful. It did not address the issues raised. There is an acceptance in it that the hospital activity level has increased significantly and substantially with an 11% increase in activity over 2011 and a 32% increase in general medicine. The reply states that the average length of stay at 3.5 bed days is below the national average and admissions are well within recommended limits. The thanks that the hospital staff get for that is that they have to operate in a situation where patients on trolleys in the corridors on a daily basis is an ongoing feature

The patient I mentioned who was in the hospital recently and made this matter public confirmed, for instance, that patients on trolleys in corridors are a fire hazard and also pose obvious infection control dangers. Trolleys also pose a difficulty for cleaning staff who had to physically move the trolleys from one side of the corridor to another.

It is past time that some of the beds that are currently closed at South Tipperary General Hospital be re-opened. The basis for doing that is outlined in the Minister of State's reply in terms of increased activity levels, a shorter length of stay than the national average and more than an appropriate admission policy.

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