Over 13-thousand people left A and E departments across the Shannonside region last year without being seen.
Figures obtained by Aontú show that 5-thousand extra patients walked out of emergency departments without receiving care last year compared to 2021
The numbers were provided by the HSE in response to a Parliamentary question by Aontú leader, Peadar Toibín. In it's response to the deputy, the HSE notes that the 2021 cyber attack has led to some gaps in the data and delayed information. The figures show that every hospital across the Shannonside region experienced an increase in patients presenting to A & E but are noted as "did not wait to be seen". The Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore had the largest increase in the region, from 1,683 in 2021 to 3,303 in 2022. This is followed by Galway University Hospital, who experienced an overall increase of 1,065. 2,427 patients left the emergency department at Mullingar Regional last year without being seen, an increase from 1,399 in 2021. Portiuncula Hospital also reported that 1,526 left A&E, up from 813 on the previous year.
While in Sligo University Hospital, 2,371 patients were recorded as "did not wait to be seen", up from 1,515 in 2021. Overall, 13,428 people left A&E last year without being examined, an increase on the 2021 figure of 8,146.
Nationally, 115,165 patients did not wait to be seen in emergency departments last year, an increase of almost 40,000 on the previous year.
