A woman who yesterday spent her fourth day on a trolley at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda has criticised the €75-a-night charge for care under such conditions.
She spoke out as the Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation said there were 39 people on trolleys in the hospital, the highest in any hospital in the country yesterday.
Denise Tuohy (41) said she has a child with a rare genetic disorder and could not afford to pay bills like this.
Ms Tuohy has a history of blood clots.“I came into casualty at 8.30 on Friday night because my left-hand side had gone numb.”
She saw a doctor within two hours and said that after that “I was left sitting in a chair until 3.30am on Saturday”, when she was given a trolley.
On Saturday, the trolley was moved into a day ward in the main part of the hospital.
She said when the day patients went home, she believed the hospital was moving the trolleys out of the emergency department “in case anybody comes in to check”.
"I have worked all my life. I work with the Garda Youth Diversion Project and I pay my taxes and my property tax. I want the Government to start looking after the people of Ireland. I cannot afford to pay bills like this."
She said her son Jake (5) has got Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, a very rare genetic condition, and he does not have a medical card.
“He has a doctor-only card. That is no good to us because if something happens we have to bring him to the hospital. ”
She had high praise for the nurses at the hospital: “They are fabulous, they are just brilliant. I have to stand up, though, because what is going on is not fair. What about the older people? This is not just about me.”
In a statement, the HSE said: “For persons availing of public in-patient services, the current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €75 per night, subject to a maximum of €750 in any 12 consecutive months. ”
Prof Dominic O’Brannagáin, the hospital’s clinical director, said the hospital “is currently experiencing increased admissions and serious patient cases”.