A CORK woman whose son has twice had appointments for open heart surgery cancelled by Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, has spoken out about the length of time her child is now waiting for treatment.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said her seven-year-old was now waiting 1½ years for the operation. He has a hole in his heart and a blocked valve, she said.
She told the Gerry Ryan Showon RTÉ 2FM radio yesterday that on one occasion the child was gowned up for surgery only to be told the operation was being cancelled as a more urgent case had presented which would require the only remaining vacant bed in the hospital's intensive care unit after surgery.
Last Tuesday, the child was scheduled for surgery, only for the operation to be cancelled, she said.
“I’m at the end of my tether with the whole thing. It’s just horrendous . . . if it’s happening to me it’s happening to other parents on a daily basis.”
The case echoes that of Róisín Ruddle, a Limerick toddler who died after being sent home from the same hospital in 2003, after her heart operation was postponed due to a shortage of intensive care nurses to look after her following surgery. She died before her surgery could be rescheduled.
The hospital said yesterday that the recommendations of the report of an inquiry into the death of Róisín Ruddle had been implemented. It also said it no longer had a shortage of intensive care nurses.
Furthermore, it said no children were now waiting more than a year for heart surgery. However, it confirmed 11 children were waiting between six and 12 months for elective heart surgery. A further 17 were waiting between three and six months.
“All children awaiting surgery are dealt with on a clinical priority basis, according to their medical need . . . children with emergency conditions are prioritised.”
A spokeswoman confirmed two patients had surgery deferred this week due to two emergency cases coming along.
In addition, she said, there was an increasing demand on the cardiac surgery department with more children being born with heart disease.