Heart-op children face hospital trips despite report fears

CHILDREN in need of heart surgery are still undergoing unnecessary journeys to and from hospital despite an expert recommendation that such trips should be eliminated.

Almost four months after the publication of a report which looked into the death of Limerick toddler Róisín Ruddle after her surgery was deferred, one of its key recommendations has not been implemented.

The report called for an end to the practice by Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin of requiring children scheduled for heart surgery on a Monday to attend the hospital the previous Wednesday for pre-operative assessment, followed by discharge and re-admittance at the weekend.