Barrett demands opening of ward in Sacred Heart
Issued : Tuesday 21 November, 2006
Harry Barrett, Labour’s general election candidate, has written to the HSE to demand the opening of a six-bed ward in St Patrick’s unit of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Castlebar. Barrett maintains that the ward is currently being used for storage and that patients who are turned away have no option but to wait or to turn to the private nursing home sector.
Mr. Barrett explains, “ In reply to a Dáil question asked on my behalf, there are 171 older people awaiting long term care in this county. Many of these are in acute beds in Mayo General Hospital because they have nowhere else to go. Meanwhile, a ward lies idle in the Sacred Heart Hospital that could provide six beds for these patients.
“My information suggests that staff were told when the beds were removed from the ward that it was being renovated. However, it has never reopened and is now used for storage. This is a disgraceful state of affairs. Last week there were 30 people on trolleys in Mayo General because of an acute bed shortage; opening this ward would free up six acute beds in A/E.
“This situation only helps the private nursing homes that can provide a bed if one has the cash. I am aware that this government is fast turning to the private sector to provide healthcare, nevertheless, I will not stand idly by while this government runs down our district hospitals to the betterment of the private sector,” concluded Harry Barrett.
Ends: Harry Barrett……087 9713268
Cllr 
