A chara, – I’m sad to say that the situation in the A&E department of the Mater hospital hasn’t changed in the past few years.
In 2003, my granny was waiting on a trolley to be seen in the Mater Hospital A&E department. At the time, my uncles protested outside the hospital about the lack of facilities and the issue gained media attention.
I was there on September 21st and had to wait 10 hours to see a doctor. When I arrived at 6pm there were patients still there from 11.30 that morning! The chairs were intolerably uncomfortable and there were no facilities to get change for the vending machines (which offered little choice in any event).
The staff did not appear concerned or surprised by the long waiting times.
When I got to see a doctor I was shocked and upset to see that the beds in the A&E section seemed to be taken up with sleeping elderly patients. It appeared to me that my 10-hour wait was due to there being nowhere for doctors to see patients, as all the beds were occupied. I felt angry and scandalised.
There has to be a way to speed up this process.
I am outraged that this delay is still going on. This should have been sorted out a long time ago. We need to remind the public of this outrage and demand change. – Is mise,