Chronic pain patient sent home from hospital A&E

A young mother suffering from chronic pain and in “urgent need of help”, was sent home from the Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway because of a lack of beds, it has been claimed.

The lady spent ten hours on a trolley at the ED last Monday night, before being sent home.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has claimed that despite the patient providing details of a diagnosis from a private hospital to doctors in the ED, staff “did not react to it”.

“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.

“Her pain is 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.

“She cannot afford to undergo the surgery she needs in a private hospital. It would be likely to cost in the region of €8,000 to €10,000. 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 UHG’s A&E but they are not reacting to it in an expeditious manner. Instead, they have given her an appointment for three weeks’ time. But she has no guarantee that she will be admitted then either,” said Senator Healy Eames.

The patient 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, but her situation has not 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 last 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.

“I have contacted the CEO of UHG and written to Minister Varadkar about this case. How many more patients are being turned away due to lack of beds?” she asked.