Phoenix Park to get field hospital as A&E doctors warn of dangers
A SPECIAL field hospital will be set up to treat people who fall seriously ill in the Phoenix Park as senior doctors warned some 750 of the gathering may need serious medical care.
A&E doctors are concerned about the potential lack of medics to attend the stricken and said HSE planning has been too slow for the 500,000-strong crowd attending the papal Mass.
A number of wards in St Mary’s Hospital, which is mostly used as a nursing home, have now been secured. They will be staffed by consultants and a paediatrician to respond to people who fall ill, the Irish Independent has learned.
It comes after the HSE in the past week appointed Dr Patrick Plunkett (inset), a retired former head of the emergency department in St James’s Hospital and a veteran of the St John’s Ambulance Ireland. He is now medical director for the Pope’s Mass and has stepped up planning.
He expects a number of people to suffer a heart attack among the 500,000 strong crowd – but said a plan to have a system of quick alert and fast access to care will be in place.
Earlier, the body representing A&E consultants in Dublin had warned that between 250 to 750 would be sick enough to be hospitalised. Between 1,000 to 3,000 more will require first aid on site. Dr Plunkett said: “All the first aid will be admin- istered in the perimeter of the crowd but we have protected space in St Mary’s Hospital for people who are really ill. That will be staffed by doctors and nurses.”
The A&E consultants had said while volunteer first aid services and ambulance staff will be on site to provide care, full medical support could prove difficult.
“An on-site medical facility is planned with the aim of resuscitating and stabilising the most critically ill before transport to a hospital emergency department but it is not adequately staffed.
“Because of ongoing staff shortages, the main A&E de- partments in Dublin hospitals are struggling to bring in extra medical and nursing staff to cope with the additional patients,” said the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine. Dr Plunkett said he was hoping to get more emergency doctors for the event. But increasing the number of medics at the Park may mean a reduction in cover in hospital A&Es.
“I am very hopeful doctors will step up to the mark as they do. They are known to stretch themselves to help out but as we know emergency departments are not brimming with doctors.”
The on-site first aid will be provided by St John’s Ambu- lance, the Irish Red Cross and the Order of Malta. “We have spotters through the crowd at an elevated height. They will direct first aid to people. The patient will be taken in a buggy to a hub, a large tent, with advanced paramedics and medical staff.”
He said people would be at no higher risk of heart attack at the event than if they were walking along O’Connell Street. But the challenge was it happening in a crowd. People will face a walk to the Mass and will stand for a prolonged period before walking back. A lot of people will “feel exhilarated but wrecked”, he added. He advised people not to forget medication, and to bring extra water, sunscreen, a hat, a poncho and food.