THE FAMILY of a man who sustained fatal head injuries when he fell while running to his car in a hospital car park during a torrential downpour last year, has expressed concern at the absence of a neurological facility in Galway.
Christopher St George (65), of Combers Lane, Clybaun, Knocknacarra, Galway, was leaving University College Hospital, Galway after visiting a patient at the facility shortly after 4.30pm on June 11th and was running to his car on the hospital campus during heavy rain when he fell.
He was discovered lying on a stretch of road to the rear of the hospital two to three seconds later by a staff nurse at the radiotherapy unit who was leaving work for the day, Dublin city coroner’s court heard yesterday.
Margaret Walsh immediately sought assistance from ambulance personnel nearby and Mr St George, who was unconscious, was then taken to the AE department of the hospital by ambulance.
He was later admitted to the intensive care unit before being transferred by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he died two days later.
The Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis found Mr St George’s injuries were consistent with a complex fall.
There was no third party involvement in Mr St George’s death and there were no suspicious circumstances.
A brother of Mr St George, James St George, who before his retirement worked as head of clinical support services in Bloomsbury Health Authority, Camden and Islington in London, yesterday expressed concern at the absence of a neurosurgical facility in Galway and at the fact that his brother had to be transferred to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance.
He told the inquest that in cases of head injuries, to get the best outcome, a patient should have surgery within four hours.
The coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, recorded a verdict of accidental death and told the family he would write to the Health Service Executive (HSE) and to the Department of Health on the family’s behalf and make them aware of the concerns raised at the inquest as to the lack of neurological services, without prejudice to the HSE, the Department of Health or to the hospital.
* In a separate case, Garda Insp Angela Willis, of Raheny Garda station, Dublin told the coroner that a Garda investigation into the shooting of Anthony Foster (34), of Cromcastle Court, Kilmore, Dublin was not complete.
Mr Foster was shot dead when leaving his apartment with his partner to collect their children on July 18th last.
The inquest was adjourned for six months.