Inquest to probe trolley man’s death

A CORONER’S inquest is to take place into the sudden death of a 35-year-old man who had been on a trolley for over two days at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

It emerged last night he had been examined by medical staff after his admission to the hospital.

The man had a history of Crohn’s disease, an inflammation of the bowel and was deemed not to be an urgent cases when he was brought to the hospital.

He was due to be transferred to St John’s Hospital, but suffered a suspected heart attack about 10 minutes before the transfer was due to take place.

A hospital source said the suspected heart attack was not related to the condition for which he was admitted.

A spokesman for the HSE said: “There is nothing to suggest at this moment any association between inter-hospital transfers and poor outcomes for patients in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital. We would find it regrettable if there is any association prematurely made between the day-to-day management of the hospital and any recent event in the life of any person or family. The HSE do not comment on individual cases. In the case of a recent death, we respect the primacy of the coroner’s inquiry.”

A spokesperson for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said they were aware of the case but would not comment directly on it out of respect to the deceased man’s family.

The INMO spokesperson said: “We have raised directly with the HSE issues in respect of protocols for the review of patients by medical doctors to transfer to other locations.”

The INMO and SIPTU took action last month over what they claimed were dangerous conditions at the emergency department in the hospital. Work stoppages were called off following talks.