A local campaign group has given a guarded welcome to proposals to extend the “Ambulance Pathway Pilot Scheme” to Nenagh.
Nenagh Needs It’s A&E has seen high-level written confirmation that the scheme established to divert certain appropriate ambulance cases to Ennis Hospital Medical Assessment Unit will be extended to the north Tipp hospital.
Tanya De Vito is a member of the group – speaking on Tipp Today earlier she said it would be a hugely positive step but needed to be properly resourced.
“Obviously resources need to be in place for this scheme to work properly. There’s no point in sending patients over to the Medical Assessment Unit in Nenagh if there isn’t enough doctors, nurses and staff to actually care for them.
“It’s going to mean so much to a lot of people because it means now that people can be treated nearer to their own home and it would reduce presentations to the Emergency Department in UHL.”
Tanya De Vito also says it comes as no surprise that investigations are underway into major safety incidents in the Accident & Emergency Department at UHL.
The Irish Examiner is today reporting 12 such incidents over the winter at the hospital which serves North Tipp, Limerick and Clare
Tanya says there’s every likelihood more such incidents will emerge.
“This should come as no surprise – we saw what happened in January with the “Internal Emergency (at UHL).
“I think more of these stories will come out because people are getting the confidence to talk out.
“People can see that it’s unjust and inhumane. The conditions in UHL’s Emergency Department are scary and frightening for any patient. We’ve seen testimonies from people who’ve been in there and their experiences. So this is no surprise and there’s probably more to come out.”
