Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Donnelly for bringing forward this motion. I am a Galway Deputy and University Hospital Galway is always in the limelight for the wrong reasons with regard to trolleys. Today, there were 40 people waiting on trolleys in University Hospital Galway. On 4 November, there were 71.

The Minister addressed the embargo and I wish to follow up on that. At present, we are waiting for Saolta University Health Care Group to release the funding for 24 consultant positions to ensure that those consultants can properly engage in the function of running the hospital. It is very hard for hospitals to function and to expect the staff who are there to operate with 24 fewer consultants. Twenty of the positions are permanent and four are temporary. The embargo is affecting the position of dietician in the endocrinology department. Not having a dietician in that department has mammoth ramifications for all patients. This year there have only been ten surgeries. With bariatric surgery the band that is required can only be put in place with the assistance of a dietician. The dietician was awarded the contract last February, but because of the embargo she has not been given the opportunity to take up her position. The same has happened with a number of physiotherapy positions.

To refer to the public health nurse position for Ballinasloe and Portumna, it took a number of weeks to resolve that. The nurses were expected to work with one third of the staff. It was resolved last week when we got two public health nurses, but we are still awaiting the approval of two community nurses. We are talking about step down facilities. These are the people in the community who will integrate people coming home from cancer treatment or after having an accident or surgery to ensure they are cared for and to avoid the blocking taking place.

St. Brendan's Community Nursing Unit in Ballinasloe has 24 vacant beds at present. The unit is for older persons' care. I am sure that if we could release some of the people in UHG it would take serious pressure off the number waiting on trolleys.

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