Deputy Paul Lawless: The human face of bureaucratic failure can be seen daily in Mayo University Hospital, where 8 patients are currently “clinically discharged” but have nowhere to go.
Aontú TD Paul Lawless has raised concern regarding the severe shortage of nursing home beds and home care hours in Mayo which is forcing medically discharged, often elderly, patients to remain in hospital wards. This dangerous situation is blocking beds and fuelling overcrowding in Emergency Departments like that at Mayo University Hospital (MUH).
Currently, there are 8 Patients in MUH and 420 across the country deemed “fit for discharge” but unable to leave due to a lack of community support. One of those patients has been in MUH for over 6 months.
He added: “Being ‘clinically discharged’ means the hospital medical team has done its job—the acute phase of care is over, and the patient is medically fit to leave. Yet, because the State has failed to provide a safe place for their next stage of recovery, they are forced to occupy a high-cost acute bed.”
“Mayo is operating with approximately 493 total non-acute beds for a population of 137,000. This equates to only 1.5 beds per 1,000 population, significantly below the recommended average of 2.5-3 per 1,000.”
“The Minister is misguided to focus on weekend discharges, this issue is systemic. Data revealed to Aontú reveals significant problems in Mayo and across the country with regards to step down facilities, home care hours and primary care health care services. It is absolutely shocking at a time when the Emergency Department is over run, over worked and beyond breaking point.”
“The community homecare sector, a vital component of the solution, is also failing. There are currently 245 people in Mayo on waiting lists for home care support. Despite a total of 617,592 HSE home care hours being funded, staffing issues and the poor pay model mean thousands of hours remain undelivered.”
“These are ordinary, old people trapped in the chaos of hospital wards, suffering sleepless nights, exposed to infection, and desperately wanting to go home. The mismanagement of our health service is creating a threat to life for our most vulnerable.”
