THE MIDLANDS Regional Hospital in Mullingar has been accused of conning patients by giving them appointments to see a consultant who no longer worked at the hospital and then cancelling them just before the patients were due to be seen.
One patient was given outpatient appointments to see dermatologist Dr Marina O’Kane on five occasions since Dr O’Kane left the hospital this year to take up a job at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital.
Dr O’Kane herself had no role in making the appointments.
James Bannon, a Fine Gael TD for Longford-Westmeath, said a patient he knew had been given appointments to see the doctor at Mullingar hospital on April 4th, May 7th, August 20th, September 24th and November 12th.
He said just before the patient was due to attend each appointment they got a letter saying it had been rescheduled. It was only when a representative of the patient contacted the hospital to query all the cancellations that they were told the doctor no longer worked at the hospital, but that the appointment slips had been issued in good faith.
Mr Bannon said patients were being “conned”, and he urged Minister for Health Mary Harney to make a statement.
“I’m outraged that the HSE can mislead patients in such a manner. It’s calculated to deceive patients. Patients’ lives are being put at risk by this shocking scam.”
He said patients at risk of skin cancer could be waiting on the list to see the dermatologist.
The HSE, in a statement last evening, admitted appointments had been issued to patients even though there was no doctor to see them. It had sought on a number of occasions to recruit a temporary replacement for Dr O’Kane after she moved jobs, but there were no suitable applications.
It said it would advertise the job, which had been changed to make it more attractive, again in coming weeks.
“The appointment system in place in the hospital currently is such that to maintain a patient on a consultant list for an appointment, it must be scheduled even though there is no consultant available. As a result, a number of patients have had their appointments rescheduled. However, the process will ensure that once the vacant post is filled, those waiting can be guaranteed an appointment.”
It added that some patients who required urgent treatment in the meantime had been seen in Dublin, and arrangements have also been made for children to be treated in Dublin.
Dr O’Kane took up her post in Beaumont at the beginning of May. She also attends at Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown.
Mr Bannon said what happened was a gross abuse of patients by the HSE. “Patients who are told they need to be seen by a consultant can’t be left to wait indefinitely. They need medical help, not bogus appointments. The HSE must immediately apologise.
“Mary Harney must make a full statement explaining how this con-job has been allowed to go on, and whether this is occurring elsewhere,” he said.