Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am contacted on a regular basis by individuals in my constituency regarding difficulties in accessing health services. These difficulties exist across a wide range of services, including home help, services for children with disabilities, respite services, nursing staff and even down to a shortage of administration staff to type letters, which results in delayed or inaccurate treatment of patients with neurological diseases. On making further inquiries with relevant authorities, I am informed these delays are a result of staff shortages. The problem is coupled with nurses and doctors leaving the health service and emigrating for better contracts and working conditions abroad. It is clear there is a serious problem across community care and acute health services, and these staff shortages are adding to chronic waiting lists. We also have a problem with dentists leaving the medical card scheme and a possible shortage of GPs in the coming years. What is the Government doing to address the chronic issues of staff recruitment and retention across our health services? When are we likely to see an improvement?

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