A University Hospital Waterford (UHW) consultant has accused the government of "hiding behind Covid", when it comes to long-term planning.
UHW Consultant, Professor Rob Landers is warning of a tough winter across all Irish hospitals as they face into a rise in Covid cases and the usual rise in the common flu.
He's told Déise Today that poor planning nationally means these are pressures the system cannot handle.
"It's going to squeeze us hugely. We have waiting lists at an unprecedented level. We have a shortage of beds and a shortage of consultants. All of those combined is going to make it a very tough winter for Irish hospitals."
Professor Landers says there will be a rise in both Covid and flu cases and the government has failed to put a plan in place. He believes that the healthcare sector will be facing the same problems they've had the last two years.
"We're worried about the winter, even more so than last year. We're coming out of a pandemic obviously - and we're worried that there will be a resurgence of Covid in the winter. On top of that, there will be a resurgence of the common flu. That's what has happened in Australia, they're a season ahead of us. They're just coming out of their Winter now and it's been a very tough one over there. Traditionally, we follow that pattern that happens in Australia so there's no reason to think that it won't happen here."
'Answers in plain sight'
UHW consultant, Mr. Landers also outlined that with waiting lists as high as they are, the government can't afford to hide behind Covid any longer. He said those in UHW are doing what they can.
"The hospital authorities are doing the best they can at a local level. You take the hospital here in Waterford - there's tremendous initiatives and people are thinking about new ways of doing things. We have done so over the last two years, we've survived Covid. On the ground, people are working really hard to try and lessen the effects of the lack of resource. At government level though, we're not seeing any plan to deal with this in the medium to long term. That's a worry. This is nothing new."
Ireland has 60% less bed capacity and consultants in our hospitals than the European norm. Professor Landers believes that the solutions are lying right before our eyes.
"We've said it repeatedly that the solutions are hiding in plain sight. We have 40% of the EU average number of consultants per head of population and we have 40% of the EU average bed numbers. So, until the government come up with a plan to address both of those - I'm going to be sitting here this time next year talking about the same pressures and same problems, only they'll probably be worse."
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