Man died after 80km trip to ‘nearest’ hospital
THE grief-stricken brother of a heart attack victim believes he would have survived if the ambulance had not had to drive over 80km to the nearest hospital.
Terry Mooney – who was buried last week – suffered a heart attack at his home in Monaghan town, but was conscious when an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital. He even gave a ‘thumbs-up’ sign to his housemate as he was leaving.
Less than two hours later, Mr Mooney, 52, was pronounced dead at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co. Louth, 80km away.
His shocked brother Cal believes that Mr Mooney would still be alive if he’d had access to closer hospital services, equipped to deal with heart attack patients.
Cal Mooney, who lives in Co. Meath, said: ‘My family can’t understand how people living in Monaghan town are expected to put up with a service that forces them to travel to either Drogheda or Cavan for medical services – both an hour’s journey away by car. Ten years ago it would have taken five minutes to get my brother to Monaghan General. In more recent years it has been downgraded.’
Terry Mooney appears to have had a heart attack at his home at around 7pm on Friday, November 3. His flatmate called the emergency services, and followed advice from medical staff on the telephone.
It is understand that an ambulance arrived 25 minutes later, and that Mr Mooney’s flatmate was told the stricken man would be taken to Dublin’s Mater Hospital.
Upon learning of his brother’s predicament, Cal Mooney rang the Mater, eventually discovering he had been taken to Drogheda instead.
‘Staff worked on him but he died,’ Cal explained. ‘My brother didn’t make it. How many others also didn’t make it?’
By time of going to press, the HSE had not responded to a request for comment.