The mother of a sick child has slammed the Minister for Health after his appointment at Crumlin Children's Hospital was cancelled at the last minute.
Michael O’Sullivan from Kerry was told he needed an appointment with the hospital’s specialist gastroenterology team last April and was finally given a date in September.
However, after the O’Sullivan family had organised the trip up to Dublin they were told that the hospital did not have the bed space to accommodate him.
“Unfortunately, the staff are overwhelmed because of winter flus, bugs, vomiting and diarrhoea and those things that are going on at the moment,” Michael’s mother Jean told Newstalk Breakfast.
The service is only available in Crumlin and Michael has to travel by ambulance - requiring a huge amount of logistical planning beforehand.
“We’re very fortunate down here in the sense that the National Children’s Ambulance Service are always in a position to take Michael to Dublin," Ms O'Sullivan said.
“Michael would be on a lot of medication so I would have to pull in on the side of the road and to administer the medication.”
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. Photo Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ieMs O’Sullivan added she would be “lost” without the care and professionalism of the children’s ambulance service - but feels the Minister for Health is letting down HSE staff.
“Well, if I met him now, if he decided to come down here and speak to us, I would just ask him why there isn’t a proper plan in place at this time of year to protect our hospitals? To help our fabulous doctors and nurses?
“I have no bad feelings towards the wonderful staff or consultants, anything like that. It’s all down to management I feel.
“The wintertime comes the same time every year and every year we’re faced with this.”
Local services
Michael previously underwent emergency treatment in Kerry and Ms O’Sullivan feels strongly that more specialist care should be provided locally.
“We don’t have a paediatrics hospital in Kerry, we don’t have a gastroenterology team in Kerry; therefore, we have to travel,” she said.
“At the end of the day, if we’re all going to the same place for gastroenterology, how in the name of God can there be beds for everybody? This is the point I’ve been trying to make for the last while.
“I saw it in 2019 when Michael became so, so ill and every day we were told: ‘Tomorrow you’re going, the bed will be there tomorrow’ - and tomorrow never came.”
The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.
Main image: Michael and Jean O'Sullivan. Picture by: Jean O'Sullivan
