An unwell woman was sent home from hospital in “considerable pain” because of a lack of beds at a city public hospital.
Independent Galway Senator and General Election candidate Fidelma Healy Eames says the young mother’s pain was so severe she was happy to remain on a trolley at University Hospital Galway.
This “appalling” situation has prompted the Oranmore based politician to write to the Minister for Health to complain about the incident.
“I have learnt of an appalling case of a young Galway mother in considerable pain, needing urgent admission for tests and likely surgery, who was sent home at 8am from A&E in UHG. Her pain was so intense that she was quite happy to stay on a trolley if necessary as long as she got the care she needed. Unfortunately after 10 hours in A&E she was sent home.
“This young mother cannot afford to undergo the surgery she needs in a private hospital. It would be likely to cost in the region of €8k to €10k. However, to expedite her case, she paid for a private test at a cost of €220 to determine the cause of her pain. She was given a conclusive diagnosis in a private hospital. She shared this information with the doctor in GUH’s A&E.”
Senator Healy Eames accused the hospital of not reacting to the issue in an “expeditious” manner. The woman was given an appointment for a few weeks later.
“However she has no guarantee that she will be admitted then either. The background to this case is the young mother has been attending her GP for almost a year with pain symptoms. As well as taking painkillers, she has been put on a special diet which she follows. Still her situation hasn’t improved. Her situation is now acute. She is vomiting, dizzy and losing weight rapidly, having lost a stone in the last month. This is a young woman who has a human right to health. She is in dire need of urgent help and she should have been admitted that night. Instead her case and treatment is being delayed due to lack of beds. Putting her through hoops like this is intolerable. It is deeply unfair given her sickness and high pain levels. How many more patients are being turned away due to lack of beds?”
