A&E overcrowding may prompt privatisation, warn unions
Adverse publicity over continued overcrowding at accident and emergency units in the country’s hospitals could lead to the service being privatised, union leaders warned today.
Joe O’Flynn, SIPTU general secretary, said the lack of adequate resources and the bad experiences of people waiting for care may force A&E units into private hands.
He told the union’s annual nursing convention in Sligo that long stays on trolley and in crowded corridors would be used as a justification for the move.
“Constant adverse publicity about the crisis in accident and emergency could open up the possibility of privatisation of the services by those who have a vested interest in doing so,” he said.
“What we need is positive action and adequate funding now,”
The Irish Nurses Organisation claimed yesterday that there were 314 people waiting on trolleys.
The worst hit hospitals were in Dublin with the Mater and Tallaght particularly bad, while Cork and Naas also had high numbers waiting.
Professor Brendan Drumm, head of the Health Service Executive, has admitted at the convention there was a very serious problem with A&E departments.
He also accepted measures put in place to ease the crisis had not worked.
During the conference the problems of violence in the workplace as well as overcrowding in hospital accident and emergency units were being discussed.
SIPTU urged the Government to ensure increased funding was spread right across the health service including psychiatric care units and nursing homes.
Mr O’Flynn went on: “Unless adequate resources are made available to catch up on the years of under funding we will never have the quality of health care which we are entitled to expect in a wealthy economy.
“If I have one message for the Minister for Health, Mary Harney it is that we want health before greed and health before profit. Health care should be accessible to all in need regardless of age, wealth or social status.”
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