Hospital crisis scary, says GP

A GP wonders if Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy could wait six months or more for treatment after suffering a heart attack.

Dublin doctor Tony O’Sullivan, formerly of Patient Focus, yesterday described the hospital crisis as “scary” but said closing beds was not the answer. Yesterday, management at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin, closed a further 20 beds and curtailed all elective admissions to the hospital this weekend.

A spokesperson for the Northern Area Health Board said approximately four patients would be affected by the temporary cancelling of elective admissions, which would be rescheduled as soon as possible.