Your Say: A sickening priority

I'D LIKE to give you another example of a resources fiasco in our so-called excellent health service.

On Monday, September 16, our GP called an ambulance to take my 86- year-old mother to A&E in the Mid-West Regional Hospital (formerly known as Limerick Regional Hospital.)

The service was fine - within half an hour Mum was at hospital, but it was there the trouble began.

At 6.20pm, she was put in an admission queue with 13 other patients.

By 2am she was still on a trolley in the queue, but we were told she was comfortable and reveiving medication. At 6.30am crowding forced her to be moved to - temporarily - to the ambulance bay. then at 5.35pm, almost a day after arriving at hospital, she was finally allocated a space in a 16-bed public ward.

This scenario is probably repeated in many of Ireland's hospitals, but neither I nor my family blame the wonderful nursing staff at this or any other hospital.

Our Government is willing to spend fortunes on the Bertie Bowl, refurbishing Dail Eireann, farmleigh House and Phoenix Park - but where is the cash to properly look after the people of Ireland?

Election promises are one thing, but we are not a stupid nation. Three of my children are now registered to vote. Need I say more?

Copyright 2002 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.