Crumlin stops telephone advice

Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin has confirmed its Emergency Department is no longer giving general medical advice over the telephone.

In a statement the hospital in said the decision was taken because in most cases parents and guardians were seeking a telephone diagnosis, which it says is "inherently unsafe".

There is now an automated answering service which advises parents/guardians to contact their GP or come directly to the hospital's Emergency Department to have their child assessed.