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Fine Gael election
candidate Senator Joe McHugh, has expressed alarm at
the results of a report showing huge failings in the
care available to stroke patients.
The independent report highlights a massive shortage
of stroke units, stroke beds and scanning.
"The results of this report are a shocking
indictment of the management of the health
services," he said.
"While Fianna Fail and the PDs wasted €186 million
on a computer system that did not work,
approximately 10,000 acute stroke patients were
denied the care they needed. Fianna Fáil and the PDs
are unable to deliver on health services."
According to the report - the first national
overview of stroke services in acute hospitals:
There were only 12 designated stroke unit beds
nationally to cater for the 411 acute stroke
in-patients, when the survey was carried out; only
one hospital, representing 3% of relevant Irish
hospitals, has a stroke unit, compared to 91% of
hospitals in Britain; 30% of hospitals did not have
routine access to CT scanning within 48 hours of a
stroke and the level of access to emergency MRI
scanning was only 41%. Meanwhile, only one third of
hospitals surveyed could identify a lead consultant
physician for stroke care.
Senator McHugh said: "These findings reveal how
desperately underfunded stroke care services are in
Ireland. Over the past few years there have been
some moves to improve stroke services but, in
comparison to the changes undergone in Britain,
Ireland is lagging dangerously behind."
He said Fine Gael had given a commitment to deliver
2,300 acute hospital beds and 1,500 convalescent,
rehabilitation and long-stay beds if elected to
Government.
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