Mar a dúirt an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, táim ag iarraidh ábhar a ardú, is é sin, an gá le hionad gortuithe beaga do dhaoine i nGaillimh. Le tamall fada, táim den tuairim gur cheart go mbeadh ionad mar seo againn i nGaillimh. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this issue. It has long been a contention of mine and, indeed, many others that Galway city and the wider region need, and would benefit from, a minor injuries unit. This unit should be located somewhere in the environs of Galway city. In February the HSE capital plan 2026 was published and the page detailing potential expenditure and infrastructural development in Galway noted a figure of €84,000 for the appraisal of a Galway injuries unit. I thought this was very welcome and I was hopeful there would be some progress on the issue. I was somewhat taken aback recently, following a parliamentary question in which I asked for an update on the development of this appraisal of a minor injuries unit in Galway, when the Minister, in her response, advised me that the HSE had advised her there was no plan to establish a new unit in Galway at this time.
The reply stated the national injury unit expansion programme prioritises locations based on population need, geographical gaps and clinical safety considerations. On all of these issues, Galway would tick the box. If we take geographical gaps, there is one minor injuries unit in the entire HSE West and North West health area while there are three in County Cork alone. There is a clear geographical gap there. With regard to population need, Galway city is a significant population centre. To consider equivalent population centres, Limerick has a minor injuries unit, there are three in Cork and there are two in Dublin. On a population base, a unit in Galway is warranted.
The area the appraisal needs to focus on is clinical safety consideration. The emergency department at University Hospital Galway is consistently under considerable pressure. I happened to be there on Monday night with a family member and the only way I can describe it is that there was limited standing room in the waiting area, such was the demand for people to be seen. For the third time this year, which I understand is an increase on previous years, management in the hospital has had to advise the public that, due to exceptionally high emergency demand, elective procedures have been postponed and urgent and time-sensitive procedures are being prioritised. Management of the hospital advising the public that elective or non-urgent procedures are being cancelled due to demand at Galway emergency department is becoming more frequent. If we were to develop a minor injuries unit in the city, it would relieve some of this demand.
To look at data presented by the HSE this morning, there are 47 patients in the country waiting more than 24 hours in emergency departments throughout the country and nine of them are in Galway. This means 20% of the patients in this country who spent more than 24 hours in an emergency department over the past day or so are in Galway. There are considerable pressures on the emergency department in Galway. I know some of this is about increasing bed capacity in the hospital and there are plans to do that but it would be assisted if we developed a minor injuries unit, for which an allocation of funding for its appraisal was provided earlier this year.
As I said, I visited the UHG on Monday night. I am not a doctor and I do not diagnose but, looking at some of the people waiting for treatment, I could see that a number had sports injuries. Had they the option to attend a minor injuries clinic, it would have freed up greater capacity in the emergency department and people would have had to spend less time there. I ask that the Minister consider this again.
