Scene of 'total chaos' outside Drogheda hospital as 11…

Scene of 'total chaos' outside Drogheda hospital as 11 ambulances can't leave due to lack of beds

This was the chaotic scene outside one of Ireland's busiest hospitals last Saturday night.

Eleven ambulances were parked outside the Emergency Department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and couldn't leave because there are no beds or trolleys for their patients inside.

Some paramedics were left waiting for FIVE HOURS before their patient had a place at the hospital.

It is understood that there was extreme overcrowding and every bed and trolley in the hospital was taken up.

The ambulance crews treated patients in the ambulance while others were brought inside on their trolleys.

But none of the ambulances could leave and respond to other 999 calls until they had their ambulance trolleys back.

One furious paramedic said: "I have never seen anything like it in my life, absolute total chaos.

"Eleven ambulances at one stage were lined up outside the A&E at the Lourdes hospital and none of us could go anywhere.

"There were no beds and no trolleys. The place was full. We minded our patients as best we could in the back of our vehicles until we could get them inside. The whole thing was complete madness.

"If something is not sorted soon about overcrowding, people are going to die. This can not continue. What are the HSE and the Minister for Health doing?"

Drogheda Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster branded the chaos at the Lourdes as "totally unacceptable".

She fumed: "We all know there is a surge in patients at this time of year, so where is the HSE Winter plan?

"No patient should be left in an ambulance outside the hospital because there are no beds available in any civilised country.

"I am also seriously concerned that large areas of the country were left with no emergency ambulance cover because 11 ambulance crews through no fault of their own were left sitting outside the Lourdes Hospital.

"People are going to die because of this crisis situation in our health service. Urgent action must be taken by the Minister to sort it out."

Earlier this week, 17 consultants at the Lourdes Hospital wrote a letter to the HSE over their plans to downgrade nearby Navan Hospital and to move more emergency patients from Navan to the Lourdes.

Navan Hospital is due to be downgraded in a week and all 999 calls in Co Meath taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital instead.

But the consultants said they were 16 doctors short in the Lourdes Hospital and there was no way they could cope with the extra patients and the move would result in unnecessary loss of life.

Deputy Munster said: "The A&E at Navan Hospital has to stay open because the Lourdes can't cope. The HSE has to listen to the medical professionals at the Lourdes. Navan must not be downgraded."

Deputy Munster demanded the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly intervene and sort out the overcrowding chaos.