Patient calls for Kenny and Reilly to visit overcrowded A&E

A patient recovering from a brain haemorrhage, who had to spend hours on a hospital trolley in a

corridor, has called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Health James Reilly to visit the overcrowded accident and emergency department.

Earlier this week, 29 patients were on trolleys in the A&E area at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel and, as well as being placed in ward corridors, some were also put on trolleys in general hospital corridors – in the case of Declan McGee (43), beside a number of vending machines.

After being given a bed on Tuesday night, Mr McGee said yesterday he had spent 30 hours on a trolley, including Monday night in a paediatric treatment room.

“Then they put me up alongside three vending machines that make a hell of a lot of noise. I kicked up an awful fuss. It’s just ridiculous.”

'Disgrace'
"It's a disgrace," said Mr McGee's sister Helen. "Thirty-plus hours on a trolley, less than four days post-discharge following a brain haemorrhage and forced to be left beside humming vending machines constantly in use in a noisy space."

It also took 23 hours from the time of her brother’s arrival at the A&E for him to be given a CT scan to assess any further damage to his brain.

Mr McGee suffered the brain haemorrhage less than three weeks ago and underwent neurosurgery in Cork before being discharged after making good progress.

He was initially “doing quite well”, but went back to hospital in Clonmel on Monday suffering from headaches. After 30 hours on a trolley he was given a bed.

Ms McGee, who is an independent town councillor in Clonmel and works in the hospital as a clerical officer, has written to the Government asking for Mr Kenny as well as Mr Reilly to visit the hospital “and see what the results of the budget cuts are” for themselves.