The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said he is not surprised by the amount of elderly patients who are forced to wait more than 24 hours on a trolley, saying it is a regular occurrence.
Mr Varadkar made his comments after he gave his views in the recent reported case of a 91-year-old Parkinsons’ sufferer being forced to wait a disgraceful 29 hours before being given a bed. Mr Varadkar also claimed the current overcrowding crisis at the nations hospitals will get worse during the winter months.
Although, the Health Minister says he and the HSE are fully invested in solving the issue. Mr Varadkar told reporters: “Unfortunately somebody being on a trolley for more than 24 hours is not an isolated incident. “There are dozens of people every day on trolleys for more than 24 hours and most of them are elderly because most people in hospital are elderly.
Mr Varadkar added: “The focus obviously has to be on solutions and we’re driving forward as best we can providing more beds and staff, more support and primary care. All these things we are doing and we are going to press ahead with that.”