Councillor sounds the alarm over ‘unsafe’ Mayo University Hospital

A Castlebar-based councillor has branded Mayo University Hospital ‘unsafe’ after 38 people were left on trolleys yesterday (Monday) morning – the highest number since the start of the year.

Cllr Harry Barrett is now calling on Mayo politicians to walk out of the next HSE Regional Health Forum West meeting in protest.

Seventeen of the 38 patients were on trolleys in wards, while the remaining 21 were in the emergency department, according to figures released by the Irish Nurse and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

This surpasses the previous 2025 record of 27, which was set on January 14. The INMO did not compile any trolley figures for January 1 or any Saturday or Sunday in the past month. 

Other hospitals in the Saolta hospital group also treated a high number of people on trolleys, including Sligo University Hospital (32) and University Hospital Galway (62). A total of 613 people were left on trolleys nationwide yesterday.

MUH had the fourth-highest number of patients on trolleys of any hospital in the country, behind only University Hospital Limerick (107), Cork University Hospital (71) and University Hospital Galway.

The Castlebar hospital has had above-average attendance since December due to a high incidence of flu and other respiratory illnesses. Most elective surgeries, including endoscopies, were cancelled due to the pressure on the hospital yesterday.

This morning (Tuesday, January 21), there were 23 people on trolleys in Mayo University Hospital.  

WALK OUT

Speaking to The Mayo News about the current situation at MUH, Cllr Barrett did not hide his anger and frustration.

“It’s disgusting, it’s wrong, you can’t stand over that. Older people are suffering,” he said.

“The boot has to be put into management, and the boot has to be put into our political system that’s asleep at the wheel here while people suffer.”

“It doesn’t seem to make any impact here when it comes to general elections, and yet people continue to suffer,” he continued. “Senior management and local management have to be called out, and councillors, I think, can only at this stage protest by walking out [of the next Regional Forum meeting].”

The HSE Regional Health Forum West is composed of elected representatives and officials from the Saolta hospital group, which manages a number of hospitals in Connacht and Donegal. Elected members are afforded the chance to table questions and receive answers in written and spoken form regarding various aspects of the health service.

The four members of Mayo County Council currently sitting on the forum are Cllr Michael Kilcoyne (Independent), Cllr Alma Gallagher (Fine Gael) and Cllr Michael Loftus (Fianna Fáil) and Cllr John Caulfield (Fianna Fáil).

“Thirty-eight people left on trolleys is unsafe. The data shows that. The research shows that if you are left on a trolley for more than six hours your long-term outcomes are worse, all of the scientific data shows that,” said Cllr Barrett.

“I am asking sitting councillors on the HSE Forum to walk out in protest at this. This is a direct result of Saolta management being unable to recruit enough doctors to staff primary care at the weekends.

“They are failing to deal with primary care at the weekends, and they are failing to use the resources that they have. The district hospitals in this county are under utilised. Belmullet District Hospital is half empty, and Swinford District Hospital has major capacity that could be used. Our primary-care centres are not open at the weekend, we have a skeletal primary care service at the weekend.”

The Independent councillor also called for a stipulation that general practitioners must remain in the country for seven years after qualifying.

“Every time a young doctor leaves Ireland to fly to Australia, that’s cost the State nearly €150,000. We’ve got to be able to say to these young graduates that we’ll provide you with registration, we’ll provide you with a deal on accommodation, providing you stay here as a GP for seven years in Ireland once you qualify.

'NOTHING IS HAPPENING'

Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday, Cllr Michael Kilcoyne did not rule out walking out of the next HSE Regional Forum West meeting, but he questioned whether it would make any difference to the chronic overcrowding at MUH.

“I have raised that hospital, and so has other councillors on the forum, over the last ten years, and nothing is happening. I didn’t see too many protesting outside the TDs’ office about it,” Cllr Kilcoyne said.

“I will consider it… but I don’t see any use in it. The reason Mayo University Hospital is the way it is because of a lack of capital investment. But we cannot put in capital investment, so you go after the fellas that can put it in. There’s three of them representing the government parties.”

Designs for a new emergency department are at MUH with additional treatment space are currently progressing through the planning system.

A proposed new 75-bed Community Nursing Unit (CNU) for Ballina and a 50-bed CNU in Belmullet are also at design phase.

‘SIGNIFICANT DELAYS’

IN A statement issued yesterday afternoon, the HSE urged the public to consider alternative care pathways in light of ‘significant delays’ at the MUH emergency department.

Over 200 patients attended the emergency department over the weekend.

MUH urged the public to consider alternative avenues for treatment, such as GPs, out-of-hours GP services, the Roscommon Injury Unit and pharmacies, when appropriate.

The out-of-hours GP (WestDoc), Roscommon Injury Unit and pharmacies are open this weekend for expert advice and treatment.

A hospital spokesperson said that critical cases presenting at MUH would continue to be prioritised.