Letterkenny University Hospital reviewing acute and urgent pathways for child patients

The ‘ongoing work’ was confirmed to Donegal County Councillor Gerry Crawford at this week’s Regional Health Forum West Meeting, at which he asked if it was ‘possible to speed up triage for young children in the emergency department (ED) to see an appropriate medical professional and avoid long waits in adult environment in EDs’.

In response, Tony Canavan, CEO, Saolta University Health Care Group, said the pathways for paediatric patients are being reviewed and added that the ‘hospital is fully engaged in this process which will in the future improve the access for the Paediatric patients attending ED.’

Mr Canavan said there are a number of ‘problems’ in relation to children attending ED, with the key one being returned relating to the arrangement that ‘some children go directly to be assessed in the ward and some go to the ED to be assessed and it’s not necessarily in the best interest of the children’.

"We’re trying to change that arrangement so that we comply with best practice in relation to assessing children in the emergency department, before they go to the ward.”

Colr Crawford said he was was ‘happy’ with that and outlined how recently was in attendance at the ED department, where he observed a child waiting for ‘hours and hours and hours in an adult environment.’

"it’s very hard to pacify a child in that environment and this was a long number of hours. The child was obviously sick or it wouldn’t have been there. I personally thought it wasn’t right – that someone should have been there. The paediatric doctors are probably not with any of the people waiting there. I welcome this. I want to have another conversation on this, as I can’t be too specific as it would be unfair to the people involved, but it was concerning and disturbing. I observed three or four children there for many hours.”

Mr Canavan said he would be in touch with Colr Crawford about the matter.

He added that the issue is one they are focusing on and said that in other hospitals, they have provided a separation between where children and adults are cares for and moved children through the system ‘more quickly’.

"Part of the review is to work on these areas as well.”