Massive ED delay sees patients give up the ghost

Fifteen patients every day who present for treatment at Galway’s two public Emergency Departments leave before being seen or treated.

The new figures from the Health Service Executive confirmed that almost 1,400 patients left EDs in Galway City and Ballinasloe without being seen by medical staff.

Some 1,024 patients attended and left before being seen at University Hospital Galway over a three-month period this year.

A further 374 patients attended and left before being seen at Portiuncula during the same months of July, August, and September. Collectively it means on average, fifteen patients who were ill or injured enough to present for treatment at Galway’s EDs subsequently left without being seen.

The figures were compiled by Jaqueline McNulty, General Manager of Unscheduled Care, Acute Operations of HSE, and supplied to Sinn Féin health spokesperson, David Cullinane.

The data shows that more than 27,000 patients nationally left Emergency Departments without being seen over the three months.

People leaving hospitals before treatment was impacting all hospitals, according to the figures.

Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell said that the figures show in Galway, long waiting times for admission, and overcrowded hospitals, are ‘pushing patients out without being seen’.

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