CITY TRIBUNE
Waiting list growing while ‘leaky’ operating theatres closed
Operating theatres at Merlin Park Hospital, which were closed in 2017 due to leaking roofs, will now not be fully open until this coming Summer at the earliest.
And the latest figures confirm that the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery has grown to 1,500 people since the theatres were closed. This is despite repeated assurances that the situation would be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
A group of 10 orthopaedic surgeons wrote to Health Minister Simon Harris this week confirming that 1,500 patients are waiting for complex joint replacements, spinal surgery, foot and ankle and shoulder surgery and that the waiting list continues to expand exponentially.
The list, they said, is as long as it was back in September 2017 when the problem first emerged and two theatres were closed because of leaks in the ceiling.
Galway West TD Catherine Connolly has raised the matter numerous times in the Dáil and has been told that modular theatres would be provided as a matter of urgency and in the intervening period alternative arrangements would be made for the patients.
Saolta confirmed a service had been restored in March 2018 with the provision of one new theatre. It said that contracts had been exchanged for a modular theatre, however no explanation has been forthcoming as to why it will be the middle of 2019 before the new theatre is opened.
“It is completely unacceptable that no progress appears to have been made in the provision of modular theatres almost a year and a half after the initial closure. I welcome the fact that the surgeons have spoken out on behalf of their suffering patients and as well as raising it in the Dáil I will be asking Minister Harris for an urgent meeting in this regard.”
The HSE sought planning permission in December for a new modular theatre building on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital, to replace the existing units and officials said they are hopeful that the existing theatre – which re-opened in March 2018 – can be used to relieve waiting lists at UHG.
The new 613 square metre building and link corridor at the main hospital building will replace the existing to theatres, which the HSE has described as “no longer fit for purpose”.
According to the planning application, the development is an “upgrade and consolidation” of the existing theatre services, with no discernible increase in staff, patient or vehicle movements.
A decision on the planning application is expected at the end of this month.
From the Galway City Tribune: The HSE has drawn up site-clearance plans for University Hospital Galway, to make way for what will eventually be the permanent Emergency Department and a new Women’s and Children’s block.
The health authority has blamed the old pre-fabs for “unacceptable foul odours” from the drainage system.
The HSE has now sought planning permission for the demolition of the temporary pre-fab offices used as for the segregation of the ‘old’ Emergency Department during the Covid pandemic and pre-fab buildings used for outpatients services and the building used for security.
At the end of last year, the new Temporary Emergency Department (TED) opened its doors – part of which will form the new €450m ED and Women and Children’s block which the HSE hopes will open in 2029.
“The removal of residual temporary buildings and two single-storey sections of the permanent buildings is now required to progress the clearance of the site for the proposed ED and Women’s & Children’s block.
“The demolition works include removing redundant mechanical and electrical services and utilities, which cross the site, and associated asbestos removal. They also include removal of site works such as concrete ramps, steps and railings.
“Notwithstanding the requirement to remove the buildings to clear the site, the greater part of the buildings have reached the end of their useful life.
“There are also significant infrastructural problems associated with them, particularly foul drainage. The buildings have been built over the existing foul drainage system and parts of it are inaccessible.
“There have been continuing maintenance difficulties, which have resulted in unacceptable foul odours and blockages.
This article first appeared in the print edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism by subscribing to the Galway City Tribune HERE. A one-year digital subscription costs just €89.00. The print edition is in shops every Friday.
“Reinstatement works comprise blocking up openings which previously formed links between the hospital main block and the buildings to be removed, reinstating roads and footpaths to a safe condition and temporary surfacing of the site.
“The existing consultants’ carpark will be reinstated to 2019 configuration, prior to the pandemic, to provide the same number of spaces at that time,” the application reads.
A demolition plan included as part of the application noted that if any asbestos is encountered on site, it must be transported under a hazardous waste licence to a landfill or hazardous waste facility by specialist contractors.
A decision is expected from Galway City Council at the beginning of May.
From the City Tribune: A new Galway Transportation Strategy – to take account of the national Climate Action Plan 2023 – is due to be published by the end of this year, according to Green Party Minister, Eamon Ryan.
In reply to a Dáil question from Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly, the Transport Minister said that the new plan would also include a feasibility study on a light rail system for the city.
The revised Transportation Strategy, known as GMATS (Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy), has already gone out to tender with the National Transport Authority (NTA) currently assessing the submissions received.
“A feasibility study of light rail will be undertaken as part of the development of the new strategy which will replace the current Galway Transport Strategy,” Minister Ryan stated in his reply to Deputy Connolly.
He added that once the tender assessment process was completed, the composition of the new strategy team would then be known.
“The NTA will undertake a comprehensive public consultation exercise on a draft GMATS as part of the development process, with an expected publication of a final strategy before the end of 2023,” Minister Ryan stated.
This article first appeared in the print edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism by subscribing to the Galway City Tribune HERE. A one-year digital subscription costs just €89.00. The print edition is in shops every Friday.
As well as the NTA, Galway City and County Councils are involved in the process which is designed to incorporate actions included in the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2023.
This plan, which was adopted by Government on December 21 last, takes account of the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings agreed by Cabinet earlier in 2022.
Some of the key goals in the Climate Action Plan include one in three cars to be electric by 2030 with walking, cycling and public transport to account for 50% of all daily trips.
GMATS is also expected to examine plans for the City Bypass Project which has been allocated a further €3 million in this year’s roads budget by Galway County Council.
Earlier this year, the High Court quashed a Bord Pleanála decision giving the go-ahead for the €600 million City Ring Road, because the Board did not consider the Climate Action Plan when they approved the project.
According to Oranmore area councillor, Liam Carroll, €33 million has already been spent on the Ring Road project. “I hope that is not a black hole,” he said.
In her Dáil question to Minister Ryan, Deputy Connolly, asked about the status of the preparations for carrying out the promised feasibility study of light rail in Galway.
She also wanted to know the status and membership of the specialist team involved in the updating of the Galway Transport Strategy over the coming months.
A major leak detection programme uncovered the loss of around 850,000 litres of water each day near Taylor’s Hill.
Uisce Éireann, the rebranded Irish Water, compared the figure to the daily usage of the entire population of Ballinasloe and described it as “colossal”.
Gerry O’Donnell, Leakage Reduction Programme Manager, described the find on Rosary Lane as “one of the largest savings of our precious resource this year in the North-West Region.”
“It’s hard to understand that more than 850,000 litres of clean drinking water were disappearing underground every day. Water is a valuable resource and expensive to produce so finding this leak and successfully repairing it was of paramount importance.”
A spike in water usage in the Taylor’s Hill area was noticed by the City Council and Uisce Éireann. However, there was a challenge in identifying the exact location of the water loss on the underground public network as there was no water surfacing.
An assessment by the local authority’s leak detection crew followed. Step testing work coupled with specialised detection equipment allowed the team to pinpoint the location of the leak.
Kieran Garvey, Executive Engineer with Galway City Council, said: “For our leak detection team to have found this leak and the subsequent improvement to the network is a massive win.”
Gerry O’Donnell added: “The finding of this leak is testament to the expertise and knowledge within Galway City Council’s Find and Fix crews.”
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