09/10/2015

Hospital Forced To Go 'Off Call' Due To Overcrowding

A hospital in Drogheda was forced to go 'off call' last night due to overcrowding, it has been revealed.

The crisis in the A&E department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital forced the hospital to halt admissions.

It is now back on call since 8am this morning and receiving emergency patients.

It is understood 71 patients were on trolleys in A&E, but the hospital said the number was closer to 48.

While it was off-call, emergency patients had to be diverted to hospitals in Dublin and Cavan.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams TD has described the situation as a "humanitarian and health crisis which is place patient safety at serious risk".

"Yesterday Lourdes hospital had the highest number of patients on trolleys in the state," he said. "Despite the hard work and diligence of staff Our Lady of Lourdes this happens every week.

"The crisis in Our Lady of Lourdes has its roots in the drastic cuts to services in Louth County Hospital, including the closure of its accident and emergency department, and the mismanagement of funding and management resources to the health service by this government and by Fianna Fáil before it."

Mr Adams added: "Sinn Féin has published our comprehensive alternative budget which sets out costed and effective measures to tackle the crisis in the health service.

"In the upcoming election, whenever the Taoiseach has the gumption to call it, we will seek a mandate from the electorate to implement them."

(LM)

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