Protocol castrating bed management, says consultant

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, who had to cancel four out of five hip operations yesterday, has blamed the health minister’s new escalation protocol which he said “effectively castrates local bed management”.

Peter O’Rourke, orthopaedic surgeon at Letterkenny General Hospital, said he was in theatre for 8.30am yesterday and out again by 9.55am because all but one of his planned operations were cancelled.

Mr O’Rourke said he was “sick to death” of hearing about the emergency department crisis when the real problem was a bed shortage.