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Updated 5.53pm
HEALTH MINISTER LEO Varadkar has said an Emergency Department Forum will be convened next week as he looks to formulate a long-term plan to solve the “chronic problem” of overcrowding in hospital emergency departments.
He was responding to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) earlier calling for the situation to be declared a ‘national emergency’ amid the ongoing crisis situation at Beaumont Hospital on Dublin’s northside.
The hospital was placed ‘off-call’ for four hours on Friday evening, and ambulances carrying emergency patients were diverted to other facilities in the area.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie today Varadkar said it was a “chronic problem” and said that only a long-term plan will resolve it, outlining what that might involve:
Camera: Aoife Barry/TheJournal.ie
Earlier, the CEO of Beaumont,Liam Duffy, speaking on Morning Ireland, said the hospital may have to go ‘off-call’ again later this week.
“The health service is now faced with the most significant overcrowding situation since the INMO began counting trolleys over ten years ago,” INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said, citing ongoing problems in Limerick, Drogheda, Sligo and elsewhere.
In order to ensure patient safety, appropriate standards of care and manageable workloads for nursing staff an emergency initiative is required which requires whole government support.
Duffy said that Beaumont’s ‘escalation plan’ had been put in place, and the problem was easing.
However, “significant challenges” still remain, he said.
All beds in the hospital, including those that would normally close at weekends, have been in use over recent days. Areas that were closed for refurbishment have also been reopened.
To assist in reducing the pressure the hospital is asking:
More than 45,000 patients attend the emergency department at Beaumont every year and the numbers to date in 2014 have increased.
Duffy said there were currently 100 patients in the hospital awaiting placements in nursing homes or homecare packages.
Doran said that was being reflected in other hospitals around the country, and that there were currently 800 patients occupying clinical beds due to the absence of appropriate continuing care, rehabilitation beds or homecare nursing.
Earlier today, Varadkar said the run into Christmas is always a very busy time in emergency departments, and added: ”Beaumont is under particular pressure but it’s not the only one.”
“I think we will see an alleviation in the next number of days. But it is a problem that exists across our health service and something that requires a longer term plan.”
- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
First published 14 December, 7.55pm
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Dirty savage, 8 years not enough!
I ask this as a serious question. Would the general public agree with chemical castration for men who do something like this?
I would Creamy! Your name in certain circumstances is a bit…well
You need to watch more family guy joan…although that might only confirm your suspicion..
Totally disagree with the chemicals. Knife much better and I am serious.
How could she have been a teenager for 9 years?
I would vote YES!
Rape is about violence ! Not just self-gratafacation ? I think boiled slowly in hot oil might surffice?
8 years for raping a child. Sometimes the law just seems so inadequate
Horrible excuse for a man . Dirty rapist 8 years is not enough.
No punishment is great enough for ruining a innocent life .
Agreed, but I could think of a few that I’d like to try out.
8 years!
Should be at least double that for each person he brutalised.
But at least he is serving a life sentence in daily life when he gets out.
His life will be an absolute misery! Probably worse than being inside!
I wonder what goes through the minds of judges when they pass light sentences of eight years for such a monstrous act , when the prosecutors asked for 10 to 12 years? Is it misplaced compassion or are they completely out of touch. Child rapists should be given a life sentence. I’d have no problem with castration either.
Ll fine calling for life for rape , but think about this- why would a rapist leave his victim alive to bear witness against him when he would get a lesser sentence if he kills her.
By giving severe sentences for rape increases the potential for MURDER, think about that if ur sister or daughter does not come on time.
Sorry come home on time.
Pedophiles, rapists and child molesters or any kind should be locked up for life, and have there basic human rights taken away because they aren’t human, they should be given, basic food and little to no time out side there cells !!
How about we place a rat on their tummy and seal with a metal helmet ! How do u think the rat will find it’s way out????
He should get a bullet. Simple as that.
i think we’ve become too politically correct.there is 7billion people on this planet and money is tight,so bugger it just put him down(with a cheap medicine)along with others who do this type of thing.REALLY why can’t they just do it?
the above comment from robert smith was actually posted by me gavan smith.we use the same computer and it was logged onto robert smith’s facebook page by accident
I have no idea why a certain length sentence is given to people who do this. So if after 8 years, he still has these urges, he has done his time so let him out? People like this should be given a sentence to pay for what they have done but be held for as long as necessary after that time for rehabilitation. If that can’t be achieved then they should choose chemical castration or life in a facility. I thought the whole point of laws, courts and jail was not only to punish people when they have committed a crime but was to keep society safe.
The whole point of punishment to fit the crime is lost on the judicial system and it needs to reflect the times. There is so many reports like this one that surely the whole system needs to be looked at. I’m not for a second suggesting that this is a new crime and it wasn’t being committed in the past but now that there is plenty of research done on this type of offender and their likelihood of reoffending it seems a crime in itself not to devise a sentence that is suitable.
Absolutely Liz. Well said. Interesting article on the subject
Death
I presume the last sentence is a typo?
Perhaps it is worth considering …..by undermining the traditional values/foundations of society…this is what you get…fer pities sake ….you liberals…fer pities sake….whatever next…
Mason change your name. I suggest Manson? You deranged creep!!
…..@ Martstjon…Before pressing submit…best you think about what you are saying …clearly must explain to the uneducated amongst us ….back when yer man were a boy homosexual acts were considered criminal…by making such depravity acceptable the foundations of respectability …of society were weakened…it is sugested this contributed …by degrees to the perverse amongst us thinking “well if homosexualiy is acceptable..all forms of self gratification must be OK” …thus society saw the behaviour of such as the French Tennis coach and the American Football coach take place and continue to this day..when the liberals amongst us condone same gender marriages…the adoption of the young by these people…how long will it be before the act of the pedophile will become acceptable ….along with incest…take it further ….cannibalism…..break the rules expect the unexpected…rules were made in sociey for well founded reasons…break them and the flood gates are opened….you cant have your cake and eat it …..Do you now understand? …..consider, before abusing others….
….it is pointless coming up with all these medieval ways of dealing with people who are socially unacceptable….we have to ask ourselves why people do such….what is happening to respectable behaviour…It be suggested that the Liberal..”progressives” in our midst….by condoning that which in the past was totally unacceptable….suggest to those unable to quell socially unacceptable desires….that self gratification of any form needs no restraint…This may be seen in film/ staged performance/ art /literature/ www sites/ magazines/popular music lyrics….Possibly alright for the minority seen as “we’ll balanced” a totally subjective notion…dependent on who/what/where you are….That said overall…most people are generally uneducated unable to form an opinion if it is against the trend the so called “progressive” mindset…..This fear of being rebuked by fellow man leads us down the avenue of “anything goes” the erosion of standards of civilisation… as the majority would like to see it ….As a teacher of Humanities KS9 to KS12…it is with dismay the notions of young minds are so easily influenced by the popular media….No the answer is not known! other than to discourage rather than encourage that which is felt to be unacceptable….
@mason…typos…homosexuality…well….
@mason …young people…are seen to be so easily influenced…..
…@MartStJohn….an apology for your abuse will be graciously accepted….courtesy costs nothing …perhaps a little loss of face…which does nobody any harm….
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