Patient Safety Bill and Limerick overcrowding
Deputy Willie O’Dea linked the promised patient safety Bill to severe overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick and a recent ward closure. The Taoiseach said the Bill was on the A list for publication and noted additional beds were being provided in Limerick.
The Government's summer legislative programme contains a commitment to introduce a patient safety Bill. Is the Taoiseach aware that 81 people were languishing on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick this morning? There were 52 people on trolleys in the emergency department and 29 people on trolleys elsewhere. I am raising this question in the context of last week's closure of a 17-bed ward. When will the patient safety Bill be introduced? Will that legislation bring an end to, or outlaw, the cavalier attitude towards patients' health, welfare and safety that is presently being demonstrated by the authorities at University Hospital Limerick?
Comment on this
I believe the patient safety Bill is on the A list for publication in this session, over the course of the next 12 weeks. I am aware of the long-standing problem of severe overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. I do not know the details of the reason for the closure of the 17-bed ward mentioned by the Deputy. I know that 60 additional beds are being provided in Limerick. That work is now under way. The Deputy will be aware that although things have deteriorated in the past two or three weeks, so far this year the number of patients who have had to spend time on trolleys has been at a five-year low. Regardless of whether the HSE figures or the nurses' figures are used, it is clear that between 3,000 and 4,000 fewer people have had to spend time on trolleys this year by comparison with last year. I accept that it is still far too many. We are making progress. Evidence shows that the provision of additional beds is not enough on its own. As the Deputy will be aware, University Hospital Limerick has a new emergency department.