The HSE has responded to Dublin North East Labour Deputy Tommy Broughan after a constituent was left waiting for nearly three hours for an ambulance because Beaumont A&E was under such severe pressure.

On June 16th Deputy Broughan was contacted by an extremely distressed constituent whose neighbour was waiting nearly three hours for an ambulance to get to Beaumont Hospital after a fire tender and another vehicle which had called to the neighbour’s house earlier had no facilities to transport her to hospital. On the day in question it was reported that because of severe delays at Beaumont A&E that patients had to wait in ambulances outside the entrance to the hospital’s A&E.

Deputy Broughan raised this matter with the Taoiseach, Health Minister Harney, Professor Drumm CEO of the HSE and the CEO of Beaumont Hospital Mr. Liam Duffy. "I was disappointed that Minister Harney would not respond directly to this appalling episode but as usual she shirked her responsibilites as Minister by passing the buck to the HSE," said Deputy Broughan.

The HSE has now reported to Deputy Broughan that "from time to time most of the Emergency Departments at Hospitals experience high volume attendances and this can cause some delays in Ambulance turnaround times. When delays occur the Ambulance Service through its ambulance Liaison Officer in conjunction with Senior Hospital Staff work through their difficulties to ensure that ambulance delays are kept to a minimum. A protocol agreed between the Emergency Departments at hospitals is also in existence for a number of years, whereby ambulances with patients can be diverted to another hospital with less demand on the Emergency Department Resources. The Ambulance Service will continue to monitor, evaluate and review its response times and make the necessary arrangements to ensure that these response times are kept to a minimum."

Deputy Broughan acknowledged the response from the HSE but called for an immediate review of the near crisis point situation at Beaumont Hospital. "On June 16th the CEO of Beaumont, Mr. Liam Duffy, told me that the Hospital was under extreme pressure "with 52 patients awaiting admissions and every effort was made throughout the day to free up as many beds as possible." It is clear that this near collapse of A&E services at Beaumont must be urgently addressed by Minister Harney and Taosieach Cowen."

Deputy Broughan now intends to raise the continuing A&E crisis and the lack of ambulances at Beaumont Hospital with Professor Brendan Drumm when the HSE CEO returns to the Public Accounts Committee of Dail Eireann in the Autumn. "On his last visit to the PAC about three months ago Professor Drumm maintained that the type of A&E crisis which occurred at Beaumont on June 16th last was a thing of the past. Sadly once again Professor Drumm has failed to deliver on a key health commitment for my constituents", concldued Deputy Broughan.