Danny Healy-Rae questions national testing and hospital delays
Danny Healy-Rae raised health concerns about testing capacity and access to hospital consultants during the virus. He pressed the minister on whether a single laboratory handles all national testing, urged use of rapid Abbott-style tests, and demanded action to unblock consultant appointments.
Testing capacity concerns
He asked the minister to confirm or deny reports that just one laboratory is doing testing for the whole country and noted other companies supply test kits. He specifically referenced Abbott tests that perform results in 15 minutes and asked why similar rapid testing could not be used locally. He stressed the need for fast testing and contact tracing so any rise in cases can be identified and contained quickly.
Delayed consultant appointments and patient harm
He described a steady stream of constituents unable to get appointments with consultants or their doctors, including people with coronary disease, cancer, orthopaedic needs and vision problems. He reported callers every day about long delays and cited two patients who, he said, were not seen by consultants during the height of the virus and died shortly afterwards. He urged the minister to remove whatever blockage is preventing patients from getting necessary care.
Events, travel and perceived exposure
He conveyed public disappointment about restrictions around teams and supporters, saying many feel they were exposed as a result. He also raised concern about returnees from Cheltenham who he said were not checked, and warned these gatherings and travel risks may have exposed people to the virus, noting that Italians did have it.
Appeal to the minister and warning on stages
While offering praise in places, he repeatedly appealed to the minister to act to reopen services and ensure consultants see patients. He warned that stage two can quickly become stage three and stage four, urging prompt written or verbal responses from the minister to address testing, tracing and access to care.
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Thank you very much. I'm glad to get the opportunity to talk about certain things here in relation to health. First of all, the testing minister is not even yet satisfactory and I'm asking you to confirm or deny and if you don't have time to respond to me verbally, maybe you'll respond in writing after. So, the question I'm asking in relation to the testing, is it true that it's just one laboratory is doing the testing for all of the country? And are you aware that there are other companies supplying test kits, even Abbott testing are supposed to have supplied much of their products to America and their test kit performs the test and gives the result and all in 15 minutes? Why can't we have something like that minister? And we're all very thankful now that the figures are down. But surely if they were to rise even fractionally, it would be very important that we test people as soon as possible and do the contact tracing to follow up and to confine whatever cases would arise and keep them to the minimum. And then minister, people with a lot of problems are having serious difficulties accessing their consultants and their doctors and being called and it's a constant. In our phone, in our phone, in our phone all day, every day, someone tried to get their appointment with their consultant and it's not happening. People with coronary problems, people with cancer problems, patients looking to get hips and knees done, they're in serious pain. People with coronary problems, they're in serious pain, people are losing their sight, they're going blind, minister, that need to get their catholic stool. Indeed, during the virus, when it was at the beginning, I have been told in recent days of two patients that weren't seen by their consultant and they were told to take this and take that and both of them died in a couple of days. That's not satisfactory, minister, that happened during the height of the virus, but still people with other problems and they were trying to get to see their consultant and they were put off and it didn't happen. And that's very serious and we don't want any more of that to happen, minister. So many people, and when people bring something to you, minister, and you're an elected representative, I have to bring it in here. So many people regret what happened with their talents when they came here. The teams weren't allowed to play, but that wouldn't have been fractionally as bad if the teams were allowed to play, but not to let the supporters go. People feel that we got that we exposed ourselves out there and also people returning from Cheltenham, there was no check and they regret that as well. And, minister, we give praise for this Jew and I have done, but I have to express the disappointment of so many people who regret that those things happened and exposed so many people to the virus because the Italians did have it. So, I'm asking you, minister, whatever it takes to open up and to get the consultants to see the people that are looking for whatever the blockage is, and there is a serious blockage there, minister, to make sure that people are not being denied assistance in their hour of need because stage two very quickly becomes stage three, and stage three very quickly becomes stage four, and that's the end of the line then. So, I'm appealing to minister. You
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