Fianna Fáil has called on the Government to ensure all the necessary resources are made available to hospitals to ensure patient safety is not compromised.
Speaking following the publication of a Hiqa report on patient safety at Tallaght hospital, the party’s health spokesman Billy Kelleher said the report had implications for hospitals across the country.
Mr Kelleher said the Government had “not heeded” the lessons of the case of Thomas Walsh, who died on a trolley while awaiting a bed at the hospital last March. Mr Walsh’s death prompted the Hiqa investigation.
“Today’s report, which shows that some patients were waiting in Tallaght A&E for up to 140 hours, shows the scale of the crisis,” Mr Kelleher added.
“The report also highlights that the “cultural belief” that the routine practice of accommodating patients on trolleys in corridors is acceptable is ‘not satisfactory for patients and the public and should cease’.”
“Just last week, we learned that some hospitals are being forced into a situation where they’re trying to hide the extent of their overcrowding by placing patients on trolleys in inpatient wards.
“This could only be happening on foot of extraordinary pressure on management to keep the figures down. This is compromising patient safety and must be stopped before there is another tragedy,” Mr Kelleher said.
Sinn Féin's health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the report was "an indictment of the management and resourcing of hospital services because of the failures of successive governments".
"Like other hospitals, Tallaght Hospital provides excellent care to its patients. However, like other hospitals also, the failures of management and resourcing of our health system mean unacceptably long waits and difficulty in access to care for patients. Successive governments have failed to reform our health services to provide equity and efficiency," he said.
Mr Ó Caoláin said the recommendations would need to be addressed and implemented in detail Minister for Health James Reilly.
Labour TD for Dublin South West Eamonn Maloney said the recommendations would benefit Tallaght and all acute hospitals nationally.
He noted that of the 76 recommendations in the report, just seven referred specifically to Tallaght.
President of the hospital, Archbishop of Dublin Dr Michael Jackson, said that since the commencement of the authority’s investigation, “very significant changes” had taken place at Tallaght.
“All of the recommendations contained in the report relating to Tallaght hospital have been carried out or are in the process of being carried out.”
He said that at the heart of every hospital was the care and well-being of patients as individuals and praised staff at Tallaght their “high level of commitment”.
“Hiqa has drawn attention to a broad range of issues which point to challenges for the Irish hospital system. There are specific lessons for Tallaght. In taking them to heart, we wish to express our commitment to the community which we seek to serve locally and further afield for the future,” Dr Jackson added.