FIVE YEAR WAIT TO SEE A DOCTOR
Pamela fears ‘urgent’ kidney problem will get worse
A WOMAN in chronic pain since 2016 is being forced to wait another five years to see a consultant.
Pamela Hearne received a letter telling her to expect an appointment within 65 months despite it being marked “urgent”.
The 36-year-old from Waterford said: “I am very scared my kidneys are failing and no one is listening to me.”
A WOMAN in serious pain has been told she will not see a consultant for more than five years because of shortages in the health service.
Pamela Hearne is unable to work and says her “life is wasted” languishing on a waiting list.
Surgeons have diagnosed a kidney problem but despite being categorised as an “urgent” patient, the 36-year-old may not be seen for 65 months.
Pamela told the Irish Mirror: “I have been living in chronic pain for two-anda-half years now.
“I am genuinely terrified that by the time I am seen, if it is something serious they will not be able to reverse it. I am very scared my kidneys are failing and no one is listening to me.
“I have allergies to a lot of painkillers so I am just trying to get by taking paracetamol.
“I have surgeries, tests and procedures. I had a CAT scan which showed up a blockage on my appendix so I had my appendix removed.
“And they found scar tissue on my liver but that wasn’t the problem so they referred me to gynae and they cleared me. The doctors are pretty certain it is something to do with my kidneys.”
Before she became ill Pamela, from Waterford, worked in administration for a health company. She now faces losing her income as well.
She said: “Because I don’t have an actual diagnosis of what is wrong with me, I can no longer get illness benefit.
“My only option now is to try and get Supplementary Allowance.
“However, while I have been sick, I went back to study because even though I could no longer work, I couldn’t just sit at home. I needed to do something.
“But because the Supplementary Allowance is a type of unemployment benefit, I would have to stop studying.”
Fianna Fail senator Keith Swanick, who is also a GP, raised the issue in the Seanad last week.
He said: “It is marked urgent and states the patient should expect to be seen in 65 months – over five years.
“I thought it was a misprint so I rang the HSE and it informed me it’s not. People can wait up to nine years for non-urgent appointments. The definition of urgent refers to something that is top priority, important or vital.
“The urology service in Waterford hospital is provided by two consultants, three registrars, one senior house officer, one intern and one clinical nurse manager.
“These eight people cover a population of 510,000. They receive an average of 182 new referrals per month.
“They are doing their very best. “There are 160 new patients and 198 review patients being seen in the outpatient department every month.
“I understand the pressures on the system. I work in the system.”