Day clinic must refuse new patients
By Dr Muiris Houston - Medical Correspondent
October 12, 2000, -- The Mater Hospital's only consultant neurologist
has been
forced to refuse new patients at his out-patient clinic because of
a two-year backlog. A wide range of conditions, including
epilepsy, PARKINSON'S disease and dementia, are treated at the
clinic.
Dr Tim Lynch took up the Mater post two years ago. He
identified a need for a minimum of two out-patient clinics per
week, but only one was made available because of space
restrictions.
"One half-day clinic is inadequate. Often the clinic continues
until 8 or 9 in the evening in an attempt to accommodate the
demand. This is unfair on the patients and the staff," Dr Lynch
told The Irish Times.
The beds set aside for neurology patients in the Mater are
constantly occupied by admissions from the accident and
emergency unit, according to Dr Lynch, further frustrating his
efforts.
A hospital spokesperson said that there were plans to have a
second clinic in the near future. " Space is a major problem in
the hospital and we are looking for alternative locations to hold
some out-patient clinics."
The Republic has one of the worst ratios of consultant
neurologists per head of population in Europe. With a population
of a similar size, Denmark has 180 neurologists compared to the
Republic's 11.
Over 2,000 Mater Hospital patients had their treatments
cancelled last year according to the hospital's latest annual
report. 1,835 in-patient treatments and 311 day cases were
cancelled.
The Irish Times On The Web
© 2000 ireland.com
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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