Galway hospitals forced to cancel cancer surgeries

Nurses fear a winter of discontent in Galway’s two main public hospitals, which are bursting at the seams with patients being treated on trolleys.

The overcrowding was so bad last month that even scheduled cancer surgeries were postponed – and one woman with scoliosis had her surgery cancelled for a fourth time.

And the Connacht Tribune has learned that the Health and Safety Authority has reprimanded University Hospital Galway for dangerous work practices including trolleys blocking emergency exits due to chronic overcrowding.

The HSA inspected UHG on October 21 last and found contraventions of health and safety legislation.

The breaches following the unannounced inspection related to trolleys, additional seating and medical equipment obstructing emergency exits in the paediatric emergency department, short-stay ward and Acute Medical Assessment Unit.

In an improvement order, seen by the Tribune, the HSA gave UHG until November 12 to “ensure emergency routes to emergency exits and the exits themselves are kept clear at all times”.

Sources claimed UHG remained in contravention of the regulations in the past week because of chronic overcrowding and a lack of beds.

Overcrowding at Portiuncula Hospital last month was worse than it has ever been in October – twice as many patients were waiting on trolleys compared with the previous worst October on record in 2019.

Last month at UHG was the second worst October on record for overcrowding.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie