Deputy Martin Kenny has called for a plan to tackle growing primary and community care waiting lists, including additional staff, clear waiting time targets and monthly publication of waiting lists.
Deputy Kenny said, “These figures show the scale of the crisis in community care. There are 90,003 people waiting for physiotherapy assessment and more that 60,000 waiting for a first occupational therapy assessment across the country.
The figures came to light following a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson, David Cullinane, on behalf of the party.
Highlighting how the figures directly impact his constituents Deputy Kenny said, “In Sligo/Leitrim there are 1,830 waiting for physiotherapy assessment, 672 waiting for occupational therapy assessment and 771 adults and children waiting for an initial assessment for speech and language therapy. There are 2,041 people waiting for dietetics treatment, 818 waiting for audiology treatment in Sligo/Leitrim.
Highlighting what his party would do to alleviate matters, Deputy Kenny pointed to the recruitment of additional frontline staff as a priority combined with providing additional resources as a measure to combat the dramatic waiting lists.
“Sinn Féin has set out a clear alternative, recruit more therapists, nurses and other community staff, expand multidisciplinary teams and training places, target additional resources at areas with the longest waits and use short-term additional capacity to clear backlogs while public services are built up.”
Deputy Kenny called for greater transparency with regard waiting lists but again reiterated his stance that additional staff and capacity is essential if the issue is to be addressed to ensure those on long term waiting lists get the care they need.
“My colleague David Cullinane has published legislation to require community waiting lists to be published regularly by the NTPF. We need transparency, but above all we need the staff and capacity to ensure people get the care they need much sooner and closer to home.”
Hitting out at the government Deputy Kenny said, “Decades of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in power has led to record hospital trolley figures during the summer months, vacant posts in critical health services and spiralling waiting lists. This is a Government and a Minister with no plan with the health service limping from one crisis to the next.”
Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.