Patient slams Govt after five-day trolley wait

A man who spent five days lying on a hospital trolley today accused the Government of neglecting the health service.

Owen Power, 59, discharged himself after five days waiting for cardiovascular treatment at Dublin’s Beaumont hospital.

He said that the hospital’s offer of a bed on the fifth day came too late, and that he decided it would be better for his health if he returned home.

“They offered me a bed on the fifth day, but by the fifth day what’s the point?” Mr Power said.

“I was absolutely shattered at that point. They offered the bed but how long would you wait for it?”

Mr Power, who suffers from a heart condition, was told by his GP to go to the hospital’s cardiovascular unit last Thursday.

He was then transferred to the Accident and Emergency department, where his condition was monitored and a blood sample taken.

Mr Power said the incident was a result of a lack of resources at Irish hospitals.

“I’m not blaming the doctors, I’m not blaming the hospital,” he said. “I’m blaming the Government for not doing something about it. It’s nothing to do with the hospital in my opinion.”

He said staff at the A&E department were “brilliant” and did all they could to help him.

“That doesn’t change the fact that I was still in the bed for five days,” he added.

“At least somebody could have said ’That guy’s in there two days, we must move him’. But not even a word.”

Mr Power said that since he did not have a medical card, the stay at the hospital would cost him €40 per night – €200 for the whole five days.

In a statement Beaumont Hospital said it regretted that Mr Power felt he was not properly treated.

“It is not our policy to make statements on individual cases,” the hospital said.

“In these circumstances however we would point out that during his recent stay in Beaumont Mr Power’s condition was closely monitored at all times and a bed was in fact offered to him before he left the hospital.”