University Hospital Waterford is at breaking point and is being ignored by the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane claimed this week.
Deputy Cullinane slammed the Minister for his refusal to address capacity issues at UHW, saying that pressures cannot be ignored any longer.
“I have received figures from the HSE which show that from July 2007 to October 2016 the number of whole – time nurses at UHW fell by over seven per cent. There are less nurses working at the hospital today than nine years ago.
During the same period the number of in-patient beds fell by eight per cent, he said. “This is despite the fact that the population of the south east region which is covered by UHW actually increased by almost three per cent from 2006 to 2016.”
Deputy Cullinane claimed there was a clear policy at play by the Minister which was to cut capacity at UHW, “a policy that flies in the face of demographic pressures and ongoing patients needs.”
He called on the Minister for Health to make it clear that the government is committed to UHW and to back up that statement with actual investment not words.
