‘Lack of A&E space did not force ambulance treatment’

A BUSY acute hospital last night disputed a claim that medical staff had to treat patients in ambulances yesterday because there was no room for them in the Accident and Emergency department.

The allegation was made by Labour’s Joe Costello who also claimed that a 73-year-old woman with heart and lung problems had been lying on a trolley in Dublin’s Mater Hospital since last Wednesday.

“On top of this, there are ambulances parked outside which are being used to treat patients who cannot get a bed or a trolley in the A&E unit. The entire situation is a mess,” he said.