Emergency department taskforce labelled a failure as trolley numbers rise

The Government’s emergency department taskforce has been dubbed a failure by one of its key members as trolley figures continue to rise and nurses prepare to ballot for strike action in the run-up to Christmas.

Liam Doran, who co-chairs the taskforce with Tony O’Brien, director general of the HSE, said the “grand plans” of the taskforce were “not delivering any improvement on the ground” and while efforts to tackle the crisis were earnest, they were inadequate.

“The taskforce has failed to date to make any dent on the numbers on trolleys. In fact they have got worse,” said Mr Doran, secretary general of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

Responding to Mr Doran’s criticism, the HSE said that it was “an unfortunate observation at this juncture”, coming as taskforce measures were “just beginning to take effect”.

The HSE spokesperson said taskforce members were aware measures such as extra funding, staff, and beds were to take effect this month and next, and not in October. Figures collated by the INMO show a 97% jump in the number of patients on trolleys in October 2015 compared to October 2006, up from 4,042 to almost 8,000.

There was a 14% rise in the numbers between October last year and October this year, even though the taskforce was set up in the interim. Last month was the worst October on record, with 7,971 admitted patients cared for on trolleys.

It was the 15th month in a row that an increase in emergency department overcrowding was recorded.

Mr Doran said INMO members had been tolerant “for the last 10 years” and it was time to “bring it to a head to get action”. The union’s executive council decided yesterday to ballot members for industrial action, up to and including the withdrawal of labour.

The ballot is due to be completed by the end of November with likely industrial action to commence mid- December. Mr Doran said more emergency department staff were needed to help resolve the crisis.

Despite his criticism of the taskforce’s lack of progress, Mr Doran said he would continue to be a member.

Fergal Hickey, spokesman for the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine, said emergency departments were “functioning as warehouses for admitted patients” while, at the same time, treating emergencies.

He said far more beds were required to tackle the crisis than the 300 Health Minister Leo Varadkar promised by the end of the year. Mr Varadkar, who told the Irish Hospital Consultants Association last month that he had taken “a personal interest in emergency department overcrowding”, said a nurses’ strike “won’t get a single patient off a trolley”.

“We have a plan to address emergency department overcrowding which is currently being implemented and which is supported by the INMO,” said Mr Varadkar. “I ask that all efforts be focused on working together to implement the plan.”