Sir, – I was not dismayed to read Ann Marie Hourihane’s description of the overwhelming sense of powerlessness, fear and responsibility felt when a family member is entrusted to hospital care within our existing medical system (Opinion, April 22nd).
A recent experience visiting a parent over a sustained period in the care of a major Dublin hospital, revealed fundamental flaws in basic hygiene standards, inadequate staff-patient ratios and distressing inconsistencies in communication, on a daily basis.
While the commitment, professionalism and compassion of many hospital staff requires acknowledgment, it is imperative that every individual working within a hospital, irrespective of their role and qualification, realises their obligation to remain vigilant on behalf of the patients entrusted to their care. Budgetary cutbacks, inhumane work schedules and the resultant low morale are endangering lives and it cannot be assumed that the patient is receiving the best care. Ask questions. Never assume.
A grieving family will not always have the emotional resources to engage with the medical teams and administration subsequent to a worst case scenario such as the unanticipated and premature loss of a family member. – Yours, etc,
RIANA WALSH,
Aberdeen Street, Dublin 7.
Sir, – I empathise with the points made by Ann Marie Hourihane (Opinion, April 22nd), and with the sense of helplessness that we all feel when a relative is admitted to hospital. However, I also feel she has played the man and not the ball.
I am familiar with the broken light bulbs: I have had to swap patients between trolleys just so I can examine them in adequate light. I have removed dirty sheets in order to make a cubicle presentable for my patient, only to find it occupied by someone else when I came back from the linen bin. When I finally get to see my patient, the consultation is punctuated by pager alerts as my referral list stacks up.
Unfortunately, Ms Hourihane is absolutely correct in saying these “minor matters” are sometimes overlooked because “we’ve got people dying in here”. Our health system is crumbling.
It is not good enough, and overstretched doctors, forced to work dangerous and illegal hours to try hold it together, are only too aware of this.
When Ms Hourihane’s relative is the sickest on the ward, I am sure she will appreciate us placing the light bulbs lower down our priority list. Her outrage is justified, but should be targeted higher than the frontline staff who work in these conditions every day. – Yours, etc,
Dr NIALL HURLEY,
O’Callaghan Court,
Erne Street, Dublin 2.
Sir, – Ann Marie Hourihane (Opinion, April 22nd) makes a number of broad statements based on her personal experiences of Irish healthcare.
While one could only empathise with anyone who feels let down by our hospitals, it seems tasteless and opportunistic in the extreme to attempt to harness the zeitgeist of Savita Halappanavar’s inquest by publishing this article at this specific time.
That aside, it is worth acknowledging that some of Ms Hourihane’s ire is justified, even if it is misdirected, and even if the conclusions made are backed up by anecdotes only. This Letters page was recently the site of a discussion regarding doctors’ working conditions and the patient safety issues arising from care being provided by overworked and overburdened staff. Our current system guarantees errors despite the best efforts of doctors who are prevented from providing the quality of care they envisage for their patients due to workloads that are unmanageable and shifts that are far too long.
If, as has been shown repeatedly, the majority of Irish people are satisfied with the healthcare they receive, it is because of the professional ethos of doctors and nurses battling against a system which seems not to value our time, values, expertise, training and compassion.
Those at the coalface are increasingly treated as a nuisance to the healthcare system rather than assets; there are not nearly enough of us at that coalface to shoulder the burden as it is.
Ms Hourihane’s experiences do not represent Irish healthcare fairly, but neither are they false and to be ignored. They should serve as a cautionary tale of what may yet come to represent the norm should the current assault on the coalface continue. – Yours, etc,
Dr IRWIN GILL,
Mount Anville Wood,
Kilmacud,
Dublin 14.