Sir, - The day is fast approaching with "flashing red lights" for the opening of the Tallaght Hospital. It was clear from the start, and more so now, that the hospital when fully operational will not be big enough for the ever-expanding Tallaght area. Who will take care of the people living in the catchment area of the three hospitals that are being closed down? We have gone through a few Ministers for Health since the plans for the new hospital were first drawn up and I find it difficult to accept that they were all so blind and deaf as not to see the warning lights.
A few years ago, plans were put into action to get people to return to living in the city, to make Dublin a "live" city. Now they are closing down vital services. There is a very long waiting list for beds in all the hospitals and a wait of anything from four hours to 48 hours in the Accident and Emergency departments, which is not the fault of the staff of any of the hospitals. The Minister for Health, or his department, appear unable to see the crisis ahead of them.
The Tallaght Hospital "Trolley Corridor" should be equipped with a tea, coffee, sandwich machine, two or three free phones, a TV etc., also at least one doctor and one nurse, and full-time trolley queue staff as part of crisis control.
There is still time left before the opening to get an ambulance, doctor and emergency lane up and running, to ensure that the seriously ill and injured won't die as they wait in the traffic gridlock, which is now the norm in Dublin. The doctors can be issued with a large sticker to display on their cars for use in the ADEL (Accident, Doctor, Emergency Lane).
Finally, the consultants are to receive £1,000 disturbance money and no doubt will get the £25,000 they are also demanding (The Irish Time June 2nd). The Minister for Health should consider the patients/public and supply free hospital bus passes or purchase a few of Dublin Bus's redundant bone shakers, which can be converted and used as The Tallaght Hospital Bus. A coat of paint is all that would be required to distinguish them from other buses and so allow them into the ADE lane. - Yours, etc., Eileen McCann,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16.