Republican News · Thursday 11 October 2001

Health horror story in Cavan

The publication of a damning report on the state of the health services by the ESRI this week has once more highlighted the stark reality for thousands of people languishing on hospital waiting lists. But beyond the statistics, the individual stories are most telling and one such came to light in Cavan last week.

John Fogarty of Virginia, County Cavan is 79 years of age, diabetic, registered blind, with poor hearing. He had a leg amputated in 1996 as a result of his diabetes. He now suffers from a severe kidney problem. On 15 September he was in terrible pain and contacted his doctor, who did not visit but advised him by phone to go to Casualty at Navan Hospital. He was brought by his son, also John, to Navan and was checked in. He then had to wait for an hour and a half to be attended to. John junior takes up the story:

"The doctor on duty fitted a catheter and informed me to return in an hour. On return, and after almost another hour, he decided to admit my father to the Male Surgical Ward. After about a week, the catheter was removed and on 25 September he was informed he could go home. When I questioned this to one of the nursing team, she informed me that his tablets had been changed and all would be well."

But all was not well. When John Fogarty returned home on 26 September he was in severe pain and discomfort again. There was only one doctor on call in Virginia. The doctor called and took the patient off the medication prescribed in Navan and brought the tablets away. The doctor agreed with John Fogarty junior that his father needed to see a specialist but this could take up to two months.

The next day John Fogarty was readmitted to Navan and a catheter was fitted again. On the following day, Friday, John junior was informed that his father was given priority for transfer to Tallaght Hospital to see a specialist. "When I asked when this would be, I was informed it might be a couple of days, maybe even Monday. As the days went by I got more suspicious. Every day I was told they were waiting for a telephone call from Tallaght Hospital. On Wednesday morning, 3 October, my suspicions were confirmed. My father was to be discharged again. The doctor felt it could be a couple of weeks before a place would be available at Tallaght."

John Fogarty is angry about the treatment of his father. "Wake up, it is 2001. Our practices have computers and secretaries and the people who pay for this are the patients. Practices and hospitals are run like businesses, bogged down in administration, dealing with statistics, not people. Why should we have to fight for medical attention, surely it is a basic human right?"