Fine Gael Cork South Central Senator, Jerry Buttimer, today (Thursday) said that HSE figures released by his Party, which showed that more than 7,000 operations had been cancelled in the first five months of 2008, were even more startling when consideration was given to the fact that almost 40% of all day case cancellations were at Cork University Hospital (CUH).
“The figures available for 2008 show there were 7,037 day case and in-patient cancellations between January and 1 June 2008 (see full table below). Of the total 1,675 scheduled day case admissions which were cancelled, 659 of them or 39.34% were called-off at CUH. When in-patient cancellations are included, a staggering 945 of the 7037 (or 13%) of all operations cancelled nationally were at CUH.
“The figures also show that almost 15,000 operations were cancelled in 2007 and that these worryingly high figures indicate that the 2007 figures are in danger of being repeated or even exceeded.
“Cancelled operations have a real impact on patients, postponing important procedures, prolonging pain and delaying investigations which may lead to early detection.
“In the first five months of this year an average of 256 patients were on trolleys in A&E each day according to INO figures. This alarming number, coupled with the 7,000 cancelled operations, shows the lack of capacity in the health services continues to fuel bottlenecks which are hurting patients.
“Recent Fine Gael analysis showed the Health Minister’s pathetic record on in-patient beds amounts to the addition of 10 extra beds between 2005 and 2007. The absence of long-stay beds and community support for people who are currently in acute beds but need more appropriate rehabilitation, convalescent or long-term care adds to the problem.
“Freeing up existing hospital beds by providing these facilities and putting in new public beds as promised are two key health infrastructure investments the Fianna Fáil Government failed to make during good economic times. Now, with Brian Cowen’s recession biting, cutbacks leading to day ward closures and more cancellations are only going to make things worse. Of course, as is always the case with this Government, it is patients and taxpayers who continue to pay the price for their incompetence.”
Ends
Cancellations for Day Cases and Inpatients (where available)
2007 Jan to 1 Jun 2008
Planned admissions cancelled by the hospital – Day cases Planned admissions cancelled by the hospital – Inpatients Planned admissions cancelled by the hospital – Day cases Planned admissions cancelled by the hospital – Inpatients
Adelaide & Meath Hopsital Inc NCH 34 1142 15 570
Bantry General Hospital 0 0 0 0
Beaumont Hospital 236 1033 63 474
Cavan General Hospital 70 115 29 43
Connolly Hospital – Blanchardstown 447 255 98 74
Cork University Hospital 1211 810 659 286
Ennis General Hospital 70 41 45 3
Kerry General 7 103 3 94
Letterkenny General Hospital 124 198 77 201
Longford/Westmeath Regional Hospital – Mullingar 36 8 58 12
Louth County Hospital 109 2 0 0
Mallow General Hospital 201 9 89 0
Mater Misericordiae Hospital 266 2104 45 711
Mercy Hospital 0 0 0 0
Midland Regional Hospital – Portlaoise 169 88 37 29
Midland Regional Hospital – Tullamore 76 253 31 94
Monaghan General Hospital 0 0 0 0
Naas General Hospital 0 2 20 0
Nenagh General Hospital 32 8 8 3
Our Lady of Lourdes 96 128 20 121
Our Ladys Hospital – Cashel** 3 0 N/A N/A
Our Ladys Hospital – Navan 0 0 0 0
Portiuncula Hospital Ballinasloe 9 72 0 47
Regional Hospital – Dooradoyle 0 0 0 0
Roscommon County Hospital 0 0 0 0
Sligo General Hospital 14 199 34 123
South Infirmary – Victoria Hospital* N/A N/A 0 0
South Tipperary General Hospital 6 22 5 20
St Columcilles Hospital 0 12 0 12
St James Hospital 137 2811 92 1812
St Johns Hospital – Limerick 0 0 0 0
St Lukes Hospital – Kilkenny 86 159 0 47
St Michaels Hospital Dlaoire 0 0 0 0
St Vincents Hospital Elm Park 167 743 76 378
University Hospital Galway 0 0 0 0
Waterford Regional Hospital 389 357 152 189
Wexford Regional Hospital 183 51 19 19
Totals 4178 10725 1675 5362
14903 7037
* 2007 figures not included in HSE reply
** 2008 figures not included in HSE reply