Sir, – A relative recently spent four days on a trolley in the emergency department, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. Perhaps it is now time for Hiqa to inspect emergency departments in all acute hospitals? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As a consultant radiologist working in Tallaght hospital for the past 10 years, I am concerned at the biased attention the hospital is receiving in the media in recent years. As head of the department of radiology during the backlog scandal, there were indeed problems that needed attention in our department. However, while the media continually refers to the 50,000 backlog scandal in Tallaght, they make no reference to the fact that the backlog in Tallaght was probably the smallest backlog of all the teaching hospitals in Ireland.
In other words, the Tallaght backlog was not unique to Tallaght. It was simply a manifestation of chronic understaffing of radiology departments in Ireland.
The more recent media attention regarding the emergency department in Tallaght bears a similar resemblance. Indeed there are major problems in the trolley situation in Tallaght, but the problem is not unique to Tallaght. It is similar, if not worse in many other emergency departments in Ireland. It seems that even the slightest hint of a problem in Tallaght drives the media into a craze of frenzied activity. There is no thought given to the effect this has on patients and staff.
I am fortunate that I am surrounded by an excellent group of hard-working competent doctors, nurses, radiographers and clerical staff. They do incredible work in difficult circumstances. It is very demoralising on all staff to constantly be bombarded with media- driven scandals. We know things are not perfect. The reality is that it may take years to improve things. Demoralising staff in this biased fashion helps nobody. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As a 20-year-old student with a genetic condition similar to diabetes who has recently been subjected to three nights on a trolley in A& E in St Vincent’s Hospital, the recent report regarding Tallaght hospital has left me extremely pessimistic for my future in this country. Long waits in A& E departments can be potentially life-threatening for patients such as myself. It seems the only option for me and others with similar conditions is emigration, not for economic reasons but for health reasons. – Yours, etc,