Over 1,000 people waited more than 24 hours in Cavan ED

ALMOST half of the 1,037 patients who waited over 24 hours in Cavan General’s Emergency Department so far this year were aged over 75, a new report reveals.

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on health, David Cullinane, received the information on ED wait times in hospitals across the country from the HSE.

The report states that in the first six months of this year to June, 1,037 patients who attended A&E at Cavan General waited 24 hours before being discharged or admitted to a ward.

Of those, 461 patients were aged 75 years or over.

In the first six months of this year, 22,143 patients attended Cavan General Hospital's Emergency Department.

Ninety-five per cent, or 21,106 of those patients were discharged up to 24 hours after presenting to the A&E but the remainder, 1,037, had to wait more than a day.

Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin Senator Pauline Tully said she is “not surprised” by the stats.

“The figures are very worrying, but I’m not surprised because I’ve heard from many, many people about their experience of long wait times in Cavan General’s A&E,” she said.

“The frustrating thing for many of the people I have spoken to is being triaged and then waiting hours before seeing a doctor,” Senator Tully added. “People complain that they are not even told what is happening, how long they may have to wait and where they are on the list.

“Some people are in excruciating pain,” she continued. “Some elderly people may not have someone with them to advocate for them and many of them don’t want to cause a fuss, but you shouldn’t have to constantly remind staff that you are here, and you need to be seen to.

“You don’t go in to A&E to waste time, you go there because you are unwell,” the senator ended.