BY KATE HEANEY
AN elderly patient with tumours in their liver and bones was left to sit on a chair in Letterkenny University Hospital for eight hours before being admitted, the latest meeting of Regional Health Forum West has heard.
Newly appointed Regional Health Forum West member Cllr Gary Doherty combined three questions at Tuesday’s meeting seeking information on Emergency Department Cancer Pathways (EDCP) for those who present at ED undergoing cancer treatment.
Cllr Doherty also inquired as to what plans are currently in place to implement such a pathway in LUH.
In a further question he inquired as to what other pathways currently exist for patients presenting to the Emergency Department at LUH such as paediatric patients.
Colette Cowan, CEO of the UL Hospitals Group, told him there were limitations to EDCP service in LUH Monday to Friday.
Cllr Doherty pointed out that these are the most vulnerable patients in the ED.
“One patient I know of who has tumours in the liver and bones was left to sit on a chair for about eight hours before being admitted. General doctors in ED accept they are not specialists in Oncology. They would need the patient history,” Cllr Doherty added.
Interim Saolta CEO Ann Cosgrove replied that “we would all hope that oncology patients would not have to wait in ED. We are looking at the site for an oncology pathway and it is a continuous process to improve that pathway,” she said.
She added that there is a plan for an extension to Letterkenny’s ED and a design team are looking at how the space is used.
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