Son of elderly patient ‘upset and saddened’ over UHL scenes
THE SON of a stroke victim is "upset and saddened" by what he deems as the "disturbing" volume of people on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick.
On April 5, 79-year-old John McMahon, suffered a stroke in his room at St Paul’s Nursing Home, Dooradoyle.
He was rushed to UHL, to receive the necessary medical attention to aid in his recovery, but his journey to rehabilitation has been hindered by a "dysfunctional healthcare system" according to his son Derek, who lives in the United States.
Derek, who was visiting his daughter who lives in Cork, returned to Limerick on April 7, to see his father following his medical emergency.
This week, Derek spoke to the Limerick Leader about the experiences which, he says, left him "traumatised," and his father with what he feels are "probably permanent" symptoms.
Soon to be 80-years, John was witnessed by his son on a trolley along a corridor which was "full of patients."
He recalled: "when I turned down the corridor the first day and saw what I saw, it actually stopped me in my tracks.
"The trolleys were placed toe-to-head with no space in between, and on both sides of the corridor with approximately three feet of space along the centre," he added.
As his father is a diabetic, Derek immediately informed a nurse of his condition.
To his shock, he said he was informed that the hospital was having difficulty providing him with insulin, a critical drug for his disease.
"I ended up leaving and returning to St Paul's nursing home to obtain his insulin," Derek stated.
"When I arrived back, the nurse was very appreciative and administered the insulin to my Dad right away," he added.
As for what he witnessed in the department, Derek commented: "When I was there, I couldn't figure out how they were going to get any of the patients to the toilet because the trolleys were packed on both sides of the corridor."
What he understood as a solution to this inability to move freely to use the facilities, Derek said, "I quickly discovered that the majority of the patients were wearing diapers."
As for his father in particular, who, according to Derek, has been "professionally confirmed to have suffered a significant stroke," Derek stated, "he was placed on a trolley for five days." "When it comes to strokes, speed is everything," he expressed.
Coming from his experiences in the US, he stated: "I'm upset and saddened to think that's all the elderly in Ireland have to rely on for healthcare."
A UL Hospitals Group statement delivered by a ULHG spokesperson said: "we are unable to comment on individual cases due to our ethical and legal obligations to protect the privacy of our patients and our staff.
"We are sorry that any admitted patient faces long wait times for a bed.
"We are concerned when anyone is dissatisfied with the care they have received in our hospitals. UL Hospitals Group has an official complaints process, and patients, or their loved ones, are encouraged to engage with that process so the issues can be properly resolved.
"Staff are available to assist patients through the complaints process. Complaints can be made via email to [email protected]."
According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, the latest figures in UHL released this Tuesday revealed 85 patients were on trolleys, 36 in the ED, and 49 in wards elsewhere in Limerick. Nationally, 513 patients are waiting in EDs, while 139 are in wards elsewhere.