Undignified death
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THE son of a cancer-stricken pensioner who spent his final days on a hospital corridor has hit out at the extent of the trolley crisis.
Michael Gallagher was left on a trolley for three nights in an overcrowded emergency department after being admitted to Waterford Regional Hospital on Friday, December 1.
The 75-year-old had a distended stomach that made him look like he was nine months pregnant, but was told there was no possibility of a scan until Monday.
The grandad of four eventually received a bed on a corridor on Monday and moved into a ward on Wednesday.
Michael’s son Liam, a professor of cancer biology at University College Dublin, told RTE’S Liveline: “One of the main problems he had was not being able to sleep.
“My father received an enema out on the corridor, it’s totally undignified. “Only one toilet to serve multiple people. It wasn’t an environment that promoted any level of patient safety, privacy or confidentiality.”
Michael was diagnosed with cancer on December 6 and medics gave him only two months to live.
His stomach was ballooning, he had tumours everywhere and they were emitting fluids into his stomach.
He would have liked to have gone home for Christmas but was told if he was discharged he would go to the back of the queue in the hospital. Tragically, he didn’t make it to Christmas and died aged 75 on December 17, the same day as his granddaughter’s 10th birthday.
Liam said: “When he was diagnosed on the Thursday all they could offer was palliative care.
“They drained a huge amount of fluid, 20 litres.”
Caitriona, a specialist lymphoedema lead nurse in London, came home to care for her father.
Liam added: “In his last days he said, ‘What about people who don’t have a network? Who cares for them?’
“He was an avid gardener, an active 75-year-old. We thought it was a complication with his heart.”
Liam and Caitriona wrote an open letter to Health Minister Simon Harris in the wake of their father’s death to highlight the dire state of emergency services at the hospital. It said: “We witnessed not only our father but many vulnerable patients on trolleys, with lights on 24/7 in the corridor; accordingly, sleeping was not an option, neither was calling for assistance.
“In fact, we witnessed patients needing to assist each other at times, with only one accessible toilet for many of them.
“Alternatively, one had to leave the unit out of view of the healthcare professionals.
“While we are more than aware the outcome in relation to his death would most likely have been the same, the initial period in the emergency department delayed active palliative treatment and allowed additional suffering that was not necessary.
“Our father’s last days were prefaced by an extended period of unnecessary
suffering.” Despite the lack of a bed Michael and Caitriona praised staff for the excellent care given to their father in his final days.
The siblings have asked Minister Harris to clarify if, as reported, 70 beds have been lost at the facility in the past decade.
University Hospital Waterford said in a statement: “UHW can confirm a regular radiographer-led ultrasound service does not operate out of hours.
“However, based on clinical need the radiology registrar on call will perform an ultrasound out of hours.
“The hospital cannot comment on individual cases.”
We witnessed patients needing to assist each other, with one accessible toilet
LIAM GALLAGHER OPEN LETTER TO HEALTH MINISTER SIMON HARRIS
THE disclosure that an elderly man suffering from cancer was forced to spend three nights on a hospital trolley is a national scandal.
How can Ireland claim to be a developed country when it is unable to a provide a basic hospital service for gravely-ill patients like Michael Gallagher?
It is not surprising his family are outraged – every citizen should be furious.
Unfortunately, cases similar to Mr Gallagher’s are replicated every day as the health service teeters on the brink of collapse.
Minister Simon Harris’ apology is meaningless, as are promises to deal with the crisis as he made similar pledges when the number on trolleys broke the 600-barrier last year.
The Government have had seven years to overhaul the health service, but instead it has deteriorated to the extent there may be 700 in corridors by the weekend.
With most of the country’s schools set to reopen next Monday, warnings of worse to come have been issued as influenza spreads.
What is needed now is for the Government to declare an emergency situation and put in place whatever resources are necessary.
Or else the bodies representing doctors and nurses should shame the State by calling on agencies such as Medecins Sans Frontieres to help a first world country with a third world health service.