Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the national positive ageing strategy, the Government promises to look after our ageing population. The promise is failing extremely in many different areas. In my constituency, Kildare South, I have an 83-year-old gentleman who was admitted to his local hospital when he became unwell. He had the added complication of very severe leg ulcers, which require frequent dressing changes to prevent infection. Incredible though it may be, the hospital did not and could not obtain an appropriate dressing for this man's wounds as the HSE would not provide them, meaning his family had to bring dressings supplied from home to hospital. On his discharge, it transpired that neither the public health nurse nor his GP had access to the correct dressings. Following a long battle from my office, his family had to travel to St. James's Hospital to get a three-day supply. In the meantime, the family was left with no option but to use nappies to dress his wounds. The Taoiseach is a GP. This is incredible and not good enough. I am of the opinion that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, needs to know what is going on in hospitals and to make sure there is appropriate equipment and dressings to support people with needs.

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