Our Ladys report - Hospital changes must be made now

It is unacceptable that the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive are merely “exploring” proposals to implement a recommendation which both know could actually save the lives of very ill children in need of heart surgery.

The proposal is quite a simple one. Those children scheduled for heart surgery in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, should remain there for the surgery after a pre-operative assessment, instead of having to go home and then return for the surgery a few days later.

One would not need to be a medical professional to realise the risks involved for the young patient in undergoing what should be unnecessary journeys at a critical and traumatic time.