Drogheda ‘should not have discharged Walsh’
Medical sources said Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital “has a serious shortage of beds” and this is putting pressure on bed managers to “discharge patients quickly and get the next patient in.”
The source added that the region’s bed shortage also means that registrars regularly have to “do a drill” at night where they ring Cavan, Drogheda, Beaumont, the Mater, Blanchardstown, St Vincent’s, St James’ and Tallaght hospitals looking for surgical beds.
“This drill can go on for over two days before we find a bed. It is disgusting. We just can’t get beds for patients. They aren’t able to take the spillover from Monaghan. The surgical service has to be restored here and the Taoiseach, Royal College of Surgeons and the Tánaiste know it.”
He said politicians had received numerous letters from surgeons, general consultants and GPs on the issue.
Patrick Walsh died a week ago after he bled to death from a perforated ulcer less than 24 hours after being transferred to Monaghan from Drogheda. As his condition deteriorated, doctors at the hospital had unsuccessfully tried to get an intensive care bed for him at Cavan, Drogheda and Beaumont.
Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney told the Dáil this week that a bed was in fact available at Cavan General. It was later confirmed that a second bed was also available at Drogheda.
The Irish Nurses’ Organisation (INO) agreed there was “massive pressure” on Drogheda and in the overall North Eastern region because of the overspill of patients from Monaghan after emergency services were downgraded after 5pm.
INO Industrial Relations Officer, Tony Fitzpatrick said some of the reports involving Monaghan General Hospital in recent years had not been fully implemented, and that instead they had “gathered dust.”
“The most logical thing to do is put Monaghan General back on call 24/7 and then implement the reports,” he said.
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