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One of the big stories of the last few years has been the scandal of hospital trolleys. I am not sure if it is due to the weather but it seems to be improving. Take this article from the Irish Examiner: 150 patients on trolleys and chairs as hospitals face overcrowding crisis; or this one from The Irish Times: Parties seek action as 349 remain on trolleys. Compare and contrast with this article from yesterday’s Sindo: No patients on trolleys in half of accident and emergency units.
However, these figures were disputed by the Irish Nurses Organisation which said there were 71 people waiting to be admitted, 40 of those in Dublin.
While it may not be perfect, 349 going down to 70 and 150 going down to 40 is certainly something in the right direction.
On January 1st 2006 there were 349 patients on trolleys.
On January 1st 2007 there are 150 — OR 40 depending on which trolleys one is counting.
Now my question to Mr. Doran is this:-
Of the 349 on trolleys at the beginning of the year, how many of those same people were still on trolleys at the end of the year?
How many were discharged on January 2nd 2006?
Are we not talking about constant change? Rapidity of turnover?
To listen to the Moaning Minnies, one would think the trolley population was a constant — unfortunate people consigned to a corridor for a year!
Tosh!.
Of the 150 on trolleys today, how many does Mr. Doran expect will be discharged tomorrow?
How many of these are drunks, drug users; victims of street fights; teenage road racers etc?
Remember the old adage: Lies; Damned Lies and STATISTICS.
Remember Senator Joseph McCarthy?
For the record, I don’t believe one can pay Nurses, AS NURSES, enough for their dedication and hard work.
If Doran wants to achieve serious improvements, then he should use his good offices with RTE to reduce the administrative waste; stop nurses filling in forms & concentrate on curing patients and re-allocate the savings to pay the nurses their increases.
In fact, by the same token, it might be a good idea to reduce Public Sector Pay to that of the Private Sector.
For Comrades Begg; O’Connor & Halpenny that would be real equality, not just sound bites & semantics.
So,give Democracy a chance for 2007.
And maybe Bertie would take public transport to work. See what it’s like to be one of his beloved ordinary Irish workers.
Simon, there are plenty of reports at the local press and radio level (outside of Dublin) that procedures are being postponed which is bound to free up beds.
Intersesting point Dan, and I dont doubt that it has more than a little truth to it. If the civil servants at the top of health/hse were told to get patients of trolleys and it becomes the top goal, then anything goes in achieving it.
SOS is right on that front, ‘lies, damn lies and statistics’.