THE Health Service Executive is being urged to open a local Minor Injury Unit (MIU) following the publication of figures that reveal Letterkenny University Hospital recorded its highest ever number of patients waiting for beds in the month of April.
According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, LUH had 594 patients admitted to hospital without a bed last month, the fifth highest in the country – an increase of 81 patients in the corresponding month last year.
Aontú candidate for Letterkenny LEA, Mary T Sweeney, who has been leading the campaign for improvements as Letterkenny hospital, has said a Minor Injury Unit is required without delay.
“We in Aontú are calling on the HSE to open an MIU in the empty rooms to the rear of St Conal’s Hospital in Letterkenny, where there are already excellent parking facilities available,” she said.
“There are 11 such units in Ireland, with the most northern one located in Monaghan. None are located in the deprived north-west. Shamefully, Donegal continues to be neglected by the HSE,” added Ms Sweeney.
The candidate, seeking a Donegal County Council seat, claims it’s apparent that once again, the people of Donegal are being discriminated against. She insists a Minor Injury Unit would relieve the crippling pressure on Letterkenny University Hospital A&E by treating patients with less serious issues.
“These units can conduct x-rays, examine broken bones, treat wounds, dislocations, sprains, scalds and much more. Each MIU is linked with an emergency department so that a patient can be admitted to hospital directly, if necessary,” said Ms Sweeney.
Aontú points to studies that show delays of more than six hours correlate to one extra death for every 82 patients, within 30 days. The average waiting time in an MIU is 2 hours, easing demands on GP surgeries.
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