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.

Parents of children who attended the hospital said they were also aware of other families who avoided bringing sick children to Crumlin, because of the danger of infection.

Prof Smith yesterday joined with the New Crumlin Hospital Group (NCHG), a voluntary organisation of parents, in calling for the Government to prioritise Our Lady's for funding.

A nationwide survey of 1,200 adults, commissioned by the NCHG, showed that 78% of people believe Our Lady's Hospital needs more funding.

The NCHG said the survey highlighted the urgency of the situation at Crumlin, the country's main children's hospital.

Three-fifths of those surveyed favoured Our Lady's receiving funding ahead of other hospitals. Facilities at Crumlin have come under scrutiny following the controversial death of a two-year-old Limerick girl, Roisín Ruddle, earlier this year shortly after the cancellation of a heart operation.

NCHG chairman Karl Anderson said the Government had to accept that the survey showed people wanted an immediate end to the hospital crisis.

"Taxpayers are saying they want their money spent on Our Lady's. If the Government doesn't listen to them, who are they listening to," said Mr Anderson.

He described the conditions of the facilities at Our Lady's as "nothing short of Dickensian" and "worse than you would find in eastern Europe".

Mr Anderson also referred to the Pollock Report, which said sub-standard facilities could only be rectified by the replacement of the hospital's infrastructure.

The NCHG warned the Government it could not attempt to harness the votes of the 130,000 families, whose children are treated at Our Lady's each year, in elections unless progress was made on funding for the hospital.

Mr Anderson said a €350m facility would not open before the end of 2009, even if the Department of Health fulfilled its promise to publish the timetable for the redevelopment of the hospital by next December.

The NCHG said the opening this week of five state-of-the-art theatres at Our Lady's would not address the problems in the wards, intensive care unit, outpatients and accident and emergency.

Linda Dillon, whose daughter was treated for cancer in Crumlin, said the NCHG had been forced to act in order to "give the sickest children in Ireland a voice".

A spokesperson for Health Minister Micheál Martin said the Government was adopting a phased approach, which would prioritise developments at the hospital. He said Mr Martin had also assured the NCHG of his commitment to the redevelopment programme.