Madam, - Allow me to tell you of my enduring memory of living through the richest period in this country's history.
On February 24th, 2004, my father was sent by his doctor by ambulance to the A&E Department on call in Dublin, arriving at 1.00 p.m.
He sat on a hard chair in a freezing cold waiting room until 2.55 a.m. when a doctor finally saw him, ordered an X-ray which took precisely five minutes and discharged him at 3.10 a.m. with some antibiotics.
We as a family took turns to wait with him, bringing food and hot drinks with us.
My father is on Warfarin and on that occasion was coughing blood.
This is the fourth time my father, a fine vigorous man who still drives, (and always paid his taxes), has endured this degradation.
Could the fact that he is almost 90 have any bearing on his treatment? Is it any wonder that he refused to go to hospital with his latest bleed? - Yours, etc.,
HILARY McCRAE, Fortfield Road, Terenure, Dublin 6.