Top doc slams hospital facilities as ‘Third World’

President of the National Association of General Practitioners has labelled facilities at University Hospital Galway (UHG) “Third World” and said if it’s not prioritised, lives will be lost.

Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail said a lack of political will has led to a situation where UHG’s facilities, despite serving a catchment of over one million people from Donegal down to Tipperary, are dwarfed by hospitals serving far less.

“I’ve said it before but I genuinely don’t know why people are not out on the streets over this.

“Limerick Regional covers the catchment area of the Mid-West – what must be a sixth of the size of the catchment area of the Regional in Galway – and Limerick Regional’s Emergency Department is at least six or seven times [the size] of Galway’s,” said Dr Ó Tuathail.

“Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin has a catchment area one-third the size of Galway but it’s five times the size. They have two resuscitation bays in Galway; in Vincent’s, there are eight, despite its catchment area being infinitely smaller.”

Dr Ó Tuathail said he has written to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, several times in relation to UHG’s woes, and the problems for patients across Galway when it comes to GP services, but, thus far, there had been little engagement from the Department.

“For whatever reason, Galway is not regarded as a priority and it’s time that changed. The people of Galway are paying the same taxes and they deserve better,” said Dr Ó Tuathail.

The Emergency Department at UHG cannot function, said Dr Ó Tuathail, despite every effort being made by staff.

“It’s dangerous. It’s far too small and far too crowded. The staff there are doing a tremendous job in Third World conditions.

“I trained in the University Hospital and it is a brilliant hospital, but the Emergency Department is beyond unfit for purpose,” said Dr Ó Tuathail.

■ For more on this story, see the print edition of the Connacht Tribune.

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