A local TD says we should not accept waiting times in excess of 22 hours at a hospital Emergency Department.
Deputy Martin Browne says hospital overcrowding and long waits at ED units need to be tackled once and for all.
The HSE target is that all patients should be admitted within 6 hours.
However in April the average waiting time for those under 75 at University Hospital Limerick was 12.8 hours to 22.2 hours for a person over 75.
Martin Browne says this has to be improved on.
“Now that’s not acceptable by anybody’s target because a lot of patients at that age group have mobility problems and just having them hanging around there…it shouldn’t be accepted by anybody now.
“We’re better I suppose in Tipperary (University Hospital) to a certain extent – the average is 6.5 hours and just over 8 hours wait respectively for those age groups. But we would still argue that this is still too long.”
Deputy Browne says there is enough money being pumped into the HSE to have an adequate health service.
“When you hear waiting times like these and no one being held responsible – no change coming – everything set of figures we get is just standing still or just getting progressively worse.
“Someone must be responsible – now let that be the managers or as I said the buck stops eventually with the Minister. If the Minister isn’t doing the job and making those below him responsible well its time probably for the Minister to step aside.”
