X-ray inquiry finds major failings

A REPORT has identified significant failings in how a huge backlog of X-rays developed at one of the country’s biggest hospitals and in how it dealt with thousands of GP referral letters.

The independent Hayes Report, published yesterday, criticised Tallaght Hospital in Dublin, for being “grossly understaffed” after a backlog of almost 58,000 X-rays were uncovered.

While the report found that there were no unopened GP referral letters, it identified “clear failings” in how the hospital dealt with the letters of the 3,498 patients affected.