Doctor first saw ‘very urgent’ A&E patient when he was found dead on a trolley

A patient deemed to be a "very urgent" case after being rushed to an overcrowded emergency department was not seen by a doctor until he was found dead on a trolley over three hours after he was admitted, an inquest heard.

Darragh Curley, aged 33, of 152 Curragh Birin, Castletroy, Limerick, had taken an overdose of tablets. A consultant told an inquest in Limerick yesterday they may have been able to save him had they proper facilities at the A&E of the Mid-West Regional Hospital (now University Hospital Limerick).

Mr Curley was admitted to the A&E at 12.52am on July 8, 2013. He was triaged by a nurse at 1.43am and his condition was such that he was given a “very urgent” category 2 status.