“Inaction on Wexford hospital overcrowding is putting people’s lives at risk” – Cllr Jim Codd
Wexford Cllr. Jim Codd has responded to reports of hospital over crowding in Wexford General Hospital
Cllr. Jim Codd said “The government has completely failed to invest in bed capacity, medical infrastructure or the hospital workforce in Wexford general. The hospital is seeing a 20% increase in patients on pre-pandemic levels and the government has not invested in the hospital to facilitate this increase.”
Cllr. Codd continued “Those in the hospital waiting room are there for nearly 12 hours in a hard, cold chair. The hospital believes this waiting time could be stretched to 16 hours in the coming days. Studies are telling us that delays of more than six hours correspond to one extra death for every 82 patients, within 30 days. Government inaction and failure is costing people their lives”
“This is indicative of a national crisis. Since 2000, the number of beds in Irish hospitals have decreased by over 9,000. The consequence is record hospital waiting lists. This problem is only compounded by the state haemorrhaging doctors to Britain, Canada and Australia. So far this year more than 400 doctors have emigrated to Australia alone” Cllr. Jim Codd continued
“I’ve heard the most horrific stories over the past few months caused by hospital overcrowding, the elderly being forced to spend hours on trollies. People being asked to give up their wheelchairs as there are not enough to go around, despite no trolleys being available for them. This is torture. This crisis has been dragging on for years now. We need to support our medical staff at Wexford general. The government needs to start taking serious steps to resolve hospital overcrowding before it costs more lives” concluded Cllr. Jim Codd concluded
