Crumlin children's hospital 'Dickensian'

FACILITIES at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin have become so bad that they wouldn't pass basic hygiene tests, a leading consultant has warned.

Professor Owen Smith, a consultant haematologist at the hospital, said children's health was compromised by overcrowding, lack of space and the risk of cross-infection. He blamed the hospital's structure for the crisis.

The professor criticised the Government for spending less on health, especially children's health, than any other EU member state. "As a society we have to ask: are we being fair to our children? And the answer to that is a gaping no," said Prof Smith.