Delayed discharges being blamed for lack of beds at Galway public hospitals

Galway Bay fm newsroom - Almost 4 thousand hospital bed days were lost at Galway University Hospitals in the first six months of this year, according to Galway-Roscommon T.D Eugene Murphy.

The Fianna Fáil deputy says his party has received figures which show that more than 4 thousand bed days were lost at Galway's public hospitals, including Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe between January and June.

Patients are classified as delayed discharges when they no longer need to be cared for in an acute hospital setting, but have no access to step down care.