Injured boy with sports injury waits almost 12 hours in big Midlands hospital A&E

There is growing frustration over waiting times at the Emergency Department (ED/A&E) at Tullamore hospital after an injured boy waited almost 12 hours before being seen this week. 

The boy's father Peter O Halloran took to Twitter in the early hours of Wednesday to share his experience.

Posting at 4.17am, he said: "Attending A&E Tullamore with son following a football injury tonight. Arrived circa 1030pm - now 4am. Not even X-ray conducted. Some older people here now over 11 hours and not seen by doctor. No urgency, few staff, dreadful service to the citizen." He tagged the HSE in his post on Twitter.

He followed up at 8.30am on Wednesday morning, saying, "Just for info - 8.30am and still not seen by a doctor. Dislocated shoulder and 10 hours waiting. Surely we can do better." Again, he tagged the HSE's Twitter account in the post but received no response.

His son was eventually seen at 9am, ten and a half hours after arrival, and a broken collarbone was confirmed. 

Many other Twitter users echoed Peter's frustrations, including TD Matt Shanahan, a long-time campaigner for improved health services in his native Waterford, who posted:

There is a lot of A/E work that doesn’t require acute admission and could be fasttracked - Unfortunately stomach pain could be just gas or something very significant - anyone guessing and proven wrong can likel face significant legal sanction - the equipment and supports lacking

— Matt Shanahan TD (Ind) (@MattShanahanTD) February 23, 2022

The hospital issued a response.

"The HSE cannot comment on details relating to individual cases. The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore is currently experiencing a very busy period with an increased number of people attending the Emergency Department.

"All patients who present for treatment in an Emergency Department are triaged and treated in accordance with their clinical requirements. The escalation policy is activated and patients are being advised that they will experience delays as the hospital manages the peak in attendance and additional demand on the service. 

"The hospital regrets any delays experienced by our patients. Hospital Management are working to implement measures so that patients can transfer to wards and hospital beds as quickly as possible and are working with Community Health Organisations to minimise discharge delays for patients."

Laois residents can't drink or wash in dirty brown water

The hospital has made several appeals n recent months advising people not to attend the hospital's A&E unless absolutely necessary.