Call for HSE staff shuttle extension for patients

The free shuttle bus service for HSE staff travelling between University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park should be extended to patients.

It is claimed that there are occasions when the bus travelling between both hospitals is empty and could accommodate patients as well as staff.

The move would have the effect of easing the parking situation at UHG – there are times when there are long delays in accessing the car park.

It has been suggested by Fianna Fáil general election candidate John Connolly that patients attending UHG should be allowed to use the Park and Ride facility from Merlin Park.

He said that there occasions when the bus was not full and could accommodate out-patients attending University Hospital Galway

“Parking has been a long standing issue at the UHG campus and this measure would go a long way to reducing the problem.

“Despite increasing car parking at UHG, people driving to the hospital for out-patient appointments still experience long delays and a shortage of car parking spaces.

“Not only is the parking overspill an irritation for local residents, it is also a major source of frustration and can add to stress levels of patients whose anxiety levels may already be raised,” Mr Connolly stated.

The former FF city councillor said that the current staff park and ride facility runs from the Merlin Park campus to UHG every 30 minutes from 7am to 8.45pm seven days a week.

The additional capacity at Merlin Park provides an ideal solution to the parking problems at UHG.

“I am calling on the hospital group to seriously consider the possibility of using the current staff park and ride facility at Merlin Park to accommodate patients who have out-patient appointments at the hospital.

“There would be no additional cost to the hospital as the service is already in place but it would make a huge difference to patients attending the hospital who find the current parking situation at the hospital extremely stressful.”

The shuttle service has been in operation for around 10 years. It transports staff who work on both sites along with samples for the labs, files and so on.

The shuttle is also used by staff based in UHG who travel from the east or north of the county and who park in Merlin Park and travel by bus to and from UHG.