Controversy was 'a disaster waiting to happen', says group

PATIENTS' SUPPORT:THE CONTROVERSY over the handling of X-rays at Tallaght hospital was "a disaster waiting to happen", according to the Tallaght Hospital Action Group.

The group, which campaigns to protect services at the hospital, said it had been concerned about many issues at the hospital for some time.

Vice-chairman Richie O’Reilly said the group had circulated a leaflet two years ago, highlighting shortcomings in the hospital. It included a shortage of staff in a number of areas, including radiology.

He said the hospital was constantly having its budget reduced. “It was really a disaster waiting to happen. If you are running a house and don’t have enough money to do it then you are going to cut corners,” he said.

“They are taking everything from Tallaght but nothing is going back in.” He said he had heard from two patients affected by the issue yesterday and both were very worried.

“People are telling us that when they ring the hospital they are just asked for their hospital number and told someone will get back to them.”

The Patients Together support group said it regularly received calls from people who had been misdiagnosed at various hospitals.

Its spokeswoman Janette Byrne said she had heard about cases where a person was told they had a sprain or pulled muscle but months later they would discover it was a hairline fracture or broken bone.

In one case, a person was repeatedly told she had pneumonia when it was later diagnosed as lung cancer. A Spanish woman was told she had a sprained arm but when she returned to Spain, the X-ray showed it was a broken bone.

Ms Byrne said the latest controversy undermined the confidence of patients in their health system.

“It will make people question their results and, despite getting reassurance, people will still dwell on the negative,” she said. “It seems like we are only recovering from one failing and putting it to the back of our memories and then the next onslaught comes,” she said.

“This isn’t just about politics or looking for a Minister’s head. Its’s about real people’s lives.”

The Irish Cancer Society said it was essential that public trust and confidence in the delivery of cancer services was restored following the revelations. “The fact that a patient is now being treated for cancer arising from this failure is a matter of serious concern to us,” said Kathleen O’Meara, head of advocacy and communications.

She said full transparency around the causes of this failure was central to restoring public trust.