25 September 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Thomas Gould TD
Commenting on this week’s launch of Sinn Féin’s ‘Waiting List Experience Survey,’, Thomas Gould TD said that urgent action is needed “in the face of a tsunami of delayed and missed care which is barrelling down on the health service.”
Gould said that this is particularly needed in Cork given the excessive waiting lists in CUH.
Deputy Gould said:
“HSE waiting lists across Cork hospitals are in excess of 75,000 people.
“This includes 8121 children.
“Patients are waiting longer than ever to receive care.
“The health service is at crisis point and it is not fit for purpose. Action is needed now.
“In Cork, we are seeing the highest numbers of people on trolleys nationally almost every day and we also have some of the longest waiting lists in the state. There are almost 10,000 people waiting over 18 months to be seen for outpatient procedures in CUH alone.
“Everywhere we look in the health service, from waiting lists to Covid-19 to the cyberattack, there is a fire to be put out and an emergency to be tackled. It is limping from crisis to crisis.
“We need an urgent plan to catch up on missed care, reduce waiting lists, and deliver a top class, universal public health service.
“We need a fresh start with a system which is fair for workers, equitable for patients, efficient, and modern.
“Sinn Féin will be outlining major initiatives we would fund in our Alternative Budget this year to deliver an Irish National Health Service.
“Above all else, we need a political class and a Government with the will to tackle waiting lists.”