Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister acknowledges the distress that overcrowded emergency departments cause patients, their families and front-line staff. He and I commend all the staff in our emergency departments on the tremendous work they have done to ensure emergency departments have remained open and available to provide a service throughout the pandemic.

The number of patients receiving care on trolleys recently in UHG is unacceptably high. The HSE is actively working with the Saolta group and hospital management to ease congestion there. Improving timely access for patients to unscheduled care is at the heart of Sláintecare. The Sláintecare Action Plan 2019 includes a specific workstream on access and waiting lists. Sláintecare emphasises the need to invest in increased capacity while shifting the balance of care from hospitals to community services for better health outcomes and more sustainable health services.

I will bring to the Minister's attention the Senator's desire that a team go to Galway and speak to Saolta and the hospital as soon as possible.