Anger as Mayo stroke patients are left waiting for vital treatment
An appeal has been made for faster and more efficient treatment at MUH for people who suffer a stroke.
Independent Councillor Harry Barrett hit out: "People in Mayo deserve the same chance of recovery after a stroke as anyone in Dublin, Galway or Cork, but the latest national audit shows we are being left behind.
“As a local representative, and on behalf of the many families who have contacted me, I am calling on the Minister for Health to urgently step in and support Mayo University Hospital", said Councillor Harry Barrett.
Councillor Barrett continued: "When someone has a stroke, every minute matters.
“Quick treatment can be the difference between walking out of hospital or living with lifelong disability.
The national stroke report shows that Mayo is doing well at getting patients into the stroke unit, but we are falling short where speed and safety matter most.
“There are three things that must be delivered now according to the report.
"Right now, fewer stroke patients in Mayo are getting the clot-busting treatment they need, and when they do, it takes far too long.
"This delays recovery and increases the risk of long-term disability.
"The government needs to urgently fund the scanners, technology and round-the-clock specialist cover, so that stroke patients here get treated in minutes, not hours.”
Councillor Barrett added: “Mayo University Hospital has no dedicated monitored stroke beds for patients in the critical first 24 hours after treatment.
"That’s simply not good enough. Every other region in the country is moving towards safer monitored care, and Mayo cannot be left behind. Patients must be able to get high-dependency stroke care here at home.
“Stroke patients need nurses, physios, speech therapists and occupational therapists to get back on their feet. The national audit shows serious shortages across the country, and Mayo is no different.
“Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill must provide the staff our hospital needs so people in Mayo have the same shot at recovery as anyone else.
“This isn’t about statistics, it’s about real people, real families, and real lives. I will be pressing the minister and the HSE on this until we see action. Mayo has been promised fair treatment for years; it’s time we saw it delivered.”