'Heads on a plate' not an answer to overcrowding crisis, doctors say

The Irish Medical Organisation is calling for a whole system approach to solve the problem of crowding in emergency departments.

Yesterday, it emerged that a 91-year-old patient was left waiting on a trolley in Tallaght Hospital for 29 hours.

The incident was exposed by consultant Dr James Grey, whose letter to hospital management was published in yesterday's newspapers.

Tallaght Hospital said it was conducting an internal review into how the patient's situation was made public.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has demanded to know who was responsible for leaving the 91-year-old-man on a hospital trolley for so long.

However, president of the IMO Dr Ray Wally said "playing the blame game" did not solve the problem.

"This Government undermined our health service with draconian cuts, and the consequences are now being shown," he said.

"But this isn’t about the blame game. This is about a whole-system approach providing more beds and staff, different contracts in general practice.

"Heads on a plate is missing the point."

Tallaght Hospital statement

The hospital released a statement saying that the patient "has expressed his appreciation for the standard of treatment" he got there.

The statement read: "Arising from concerns expressed by an elderly patient to senior management at Tallaght Hospital, an internal review is to be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure and characterisation of certain confidential patient information to national media in recent days.

"The patient in question has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the manner in which his personal clinical circumstances have been revealed and elements of his care misrepresented in media and other public channels over the past 24 hours.

"The patient, who suffers from a chronic condition requiring regular attendance at the hospital, has expressed his appreciation for the standard of treatment received throughout all his periods of care at Tallaght Hospital.

"While the Hospital apologises that the patient in question was subject to an unacceptable delay prior to being transferred to a ward bed on Monday, the hospital also has a strong duty of care to safeguard the interests of all its patients and will take necessary steps to ensure these are upheld at all times."