The consultant in charge of the accident and emergency unit at a Dublin hospital apologised yesterday to the family of an 85-year-old woman who was left waiting 14 hours for treatment of her serious injuries.
At an inquest into the death of Mrs Dorothy Hopkins, Mr Patrick Plunkett apologised on behalf of St James's Hospital for the delay. "I wish I knew why this amount of time elapsed before she was treated. It distresses us as a department that she had to wait through the night for treatment," he said.
Mrs Hopkins and a friend were injured when they fell while passengers on a bus which was forced to brake suddenly by a car in Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, last December 13th.
The inquest at Dublin City Coroner's Court heard she was taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital, arriving there at 4.37 p.m. She was assessed as a category three case, but it was 6.50 the following morning before she was seen by a doctor and admitted to the orthopaedic unit with a fracture of the pelvis and a laceration of the right elbow which required stitching. She died there on December 16th of complications arising from the accident.
Mr Plunkett said the emergency department was extremely busy and a triage system was in operation, with each patient assessed and given a category. Mrs Hopkins was in category three or "urgent", behind those in need of resuscitation and those classified as "critical". He understood Mrs Hopkins had been called two or three times during the night but did not answer.
Mr Evan Hassel, secretary of Harcourt Home, in a statement read to the inquest, said he and his wife went to the hospital at 8 p.m. when they learned the two women had not been seen by a doctor. He asked staff why they were not being treated and was told the hospital was busy and only two doctors were available. He left the hospital about 10 p.m. for medicine and food for the women. On returning, he found Mrs Hopkins cold and shaking. When she needed to go to the toilet there was nobody except his wife available to assist her. The other injured woman was treated and allowed home about 5 a.m. but he did not leave until he was assured Mrs Hopkins would be seen immediately.
Mr Plunkett said Mr Hassel's statement was "a horrifying description" of the situation which arose but he was satisfied the times given were accurate. The hospital was exceptionally busy. "It was a Monday night and that is often the worst night of the week. We are under great stress especially for space, space in which to treat a patient. The staffing level is not nearly as critical as the lack of space," he said.
Mrs Yvonne Pim said the delay raised serious questions about the treatment of all patients and not just her mother.
A post-mortem examination showed Mrs Hopkins died as a result of damage to a section of her bowel caused by low blood pressure. The pathologist, Dr Christian Gullman, said this was most likely as a result of the trauma she had suffered. On the application of Mrs Hopkins's daughters, the inquest was adjourned to June 22nd for evidence from the hospital team which had treated her.