Since my election to this House in 1997, I have, on numerous occasions, raised issues relative to the delivery of services and the infrastructure of the health services in Carlow-Kilkenny. The reason for raising this matter and for seeking a reply from the Minister is out of sheer frustration in dealing with the South Eastern Health Board. Clearly this is a matter which the public representatives and the medical board of the hospital have discussed. Clearly, it does not undermine the staff in the hospital who do an excellent job and who work way beyond the call of duty in delivering the services.
On two occasions since Christmas I have raised the issue publicly – on local radio and through the local press. It is a deep public concern. Last night, arising from that report, all the Oireachtas representatives attended a meeting in St. Luke's Hospital with the board. They were presented with the following analysis of the main medical section of the hospital dealing with January only. Some 81 patients were admitted directly on to the corridor during that period. Of the 81 patients the average length of time spent on the corridor was 18 hours. The minimum length of time spent on the corridor was one hour but the maximum was 72 hours. Some ten patients were admitted on to the corridor of that ward in one day. Patients were accommodated on the corridor every day during that period – in other words, there was 100% occupancy of the corridor. There were 11 incidents on the corridor during that period ranging from a mild heart attack to caring for those who arrived in a distressed state. It has now become an unacceptable feature in the hospital.
In 1983, this situation was widely reported in the local papers. Therefore, it does not just occur in the month of January and because extra patients came in during the winter months. It has now become a feature of the hospital. The public and staff of the hospital object to it. Last night, as public representatives, we insisted that we would raise the matter in the House and request that the Minister visit the hospital and discuss the matter directly with the medical board, the people and the consultants we met last night. The phrase used right through the meeting was that "the hospital was out of control". Staff cannot afford to be sick as there is no back up staff. The nurses are at breaking point and they have reported the situation to the INO.
I have given an outline of what happened on the medical ward. I raised the issue of the gynaecological ward prior to Christmas on which there were three miscarriages, one in the antenatal ward and two in the corridor. After I raised it here, because it had happened twice, I was told it was an isolated incident and that I would receive a report in due course. I have still not received that report. The health board is almost non-functional in that area.
The care of the elderly is being totally overlooked. There is no room for them or selection of beds for them in the hospital. There is an immediate demand for the community hospital to be constructed in St. Luke's. There is a need for more acute beds and the immediate development of the casualty ward with the appropriate staffing levels because, quite frankly, the consultants, doctors, nurses and general staff have said clearly that they cannot take any more. They are appealing for immediate intervention by the Minister.
It is hard for the public to take this when a very large ward in a neighbouring hospital, Kilcreene, on which the Government has spent a great deal of money refurbishing and re-roofing, is closed. I understand it is used as a storage area. It is very hard to reconcile that with what is happening in the county hospital, St. Luke's, on a regular basis. When I say "county hospital", I acknowledge that it services part of the region.
There is also a need for the health board to immediately plan for an outreach centre in County Carlow. It is a county which has been very poorly serviced by way of investment in services and infrastructure. I hope a plan for a county hospital in Carlow is drawn up. It is a growing urban centre which is growing way beyond its current stated population. I ask the Minister to immediately intervene beyond the spend of £35 million which is already committed.
