Hospital taxi service risks MRSA spread

DOCTORS at a Tipperary hospital depend on a weekday-only taxi service to transport MRSA swabs for analysis to Limerick.

Consultant geriatrician, Dr Christine O’Malley, who works at Nenagh General Hospital, said as a result, swabs taken from patients on a Friday afternoon are not delivered to the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick for examination until the following Monday.

“In my hospital, MRSA swabs have to be transported daily by taxi to Limerick. If you come in on a Friday afternoon, your swab won’t get processed until Monday.