Sir, - Mr Hugo Duffy, (October 27th) inadvertently highlighted the cause of congestion in our accident and emergency departments. Mr Duffy sat for five hours in A&E and then left in frustration, having not been attended, and lived to tell the tale. One must, therefore, ask why Mr Duffy was in an accident and emergency department in the first instance, when his complaint was neither urgent nor life-threatening?
Mr Duffy and many more of his disposition would save themselves and others, much frustration (both in the A&E and on public transport) if they presented non-life-threatening conditions to their local general practitioner. A&E units are extremely expensive to staff and operate. Misuse of A&E facilities diverts much needed funds from other areas of the health service. - Yours, etc., C. O'Connell,
Baldoyle, Dublin 13.