The Budget

The budget was released today and by all accounts the low-income earners with children and the pensioners did well. But the issue of health care seems to have been put on the back burner for an other year. Our health service is in a mess and the government seems to have done nothing constructive to solve the problem.
The A&E crisis seems to have fallen from the media spotlight over the last few weeks. Some people may interpret this to mean that things are improving, unfortunately not.

According to the Irish Nurses Organisation this year there has been an average of 265 patients waiting on hospital trolleys every day. MRSA is endemic in our hospitals and patients are still waiting too long to see hospitals consultants.

I am aware that money is not the only answer to the crisis in our hospital service. The government health expenditure is above the EU average per had of population. However some provisions should have been made for the promised improved “primary health care” and what about the cancer patient who has to travel from Donegal to Dublin for their radiotherapy, not to mention an improved ambulance service. Money also could have been provided for the appointment of more A&E consultants. This list of worth while causes could go on and on.

It’s so depressing to know that there is no sign of improvement for our hospitals and that patients will continue to suffer for the foreseeable future.