Sir, – Unduly long stays on trolleys in emergency departments have come to symbolise the dysfunction of our national healthcare service. Such ordeals are palpably abhorrent and easily related to by the public, but they are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are more subtle situations where, as a result of overburdening, the service provided to patients is less than optimal.
For example, when an inpatient at a peripheral hospital requires specialised care at a tertiary referral hospital there can be significant delays before a bed becomes available to facilitate the transfer. This lengthens the patient’s overall hospital stay, delays necessary diagnostic procedures and increases the time to starting appropriate treatment.
If incidents as blatant as those reported from Tallaght emergency department can occur, I invite you to reflect on the potential dysfunction permeating throughout other aspects of the multifaceted hospital services presided over by the HSE.
Irish healthcare professionals provide world-class care, but underfunding and mismanagement preclude its consistent and timely delivery to everyone who needs it. – Yours, etc,
Dr JAMES GLEESON,
Brussels.