Consultant drove patients for surgery after theatres were full

A consultant from University Hospital Galway had to go the extra mile to perform emergency surgery – by driving four of his patients to Galway Clinic to carry out the operations there.

Theatre lists were so busy at UHG that Saturday morning that urologist Frank D’Arcy was forced to contact Galway Clinic to carry out the prostate procedures.

He ended up driving the four men to the Clinic to carry out the surgery, where he was facilitated by consultant anaesthetist Kevin Clarkson.

Following the procedures, the patients were brought by private ambulance to UHG for after-care.

It’s understood that two theatres were in operation at UHG that morning – three weeks ago – and surgery lists were excessive.

Following queries from the Connacht Tribune in relation to the incident, the Saolta University Healthcare Group issued a one-line statement: “On a recent occasion when the emergency theatre lists were extremely busy at University Hospital Galway, the hospital availed of theatre facilities at Galway Clinic.”

Galway West TD Catherine Connolly said it was “extraordinary” that the two consultants chose to take direct action.

“They are to be praised for what they did.

“There is a history to theatres [at UHG] closing and not enough staff. Quite clearly there isn’t enough funding. There are two issues here – how much funding is needed for the hospital, and also long-term planning for a new hospital is needed. There is no escape from it.

“This has all built up from 2007/08 – it’s the systematic running down of the public health system.

“We need a plan of action – I would stop listening to management at this stage, and talk to the nursing staff, cleaners, porters instead,” said the Independent Deputy.

Fianna Fáil county councillor Mary Hoade – a member of the HSE’s West Regional Health Forum – said: “The case list for emergency surgery on that morning was longer than the two theatres could accommodate.

“They [Mr D’Arcy’s patients] needed to go to theatre that day, and a clinical decision was made by the consultant. If patients aren’t able to go to theatre in UHG, it puts consultants and patients in a very difficult position.

“It’s not the first time a public patient has been operated on in a private hospital.

“We need to ensure we have theatre space open to allow them to operate. We need to have more funding because of our catchment area, and we are a Centre of Excellence; we need more funding for staffing and to have theatres open,” said Cllr Hoade.