An irate mother whose son was hit by a car while walking in Clones last Friday night and then had to wait six and a half hours to be x rayed has slammed the HSE Dublin North East as incompetent. She has also claimed that there were not enough Doctors on duty at Cavan General Hospital on a recent Friday night and said the sooner Monaghan is put back on call at night, the better.   Mrs Paula Quigg's from Killevan’s son Daniel (13) was as one of two young lads hit by a car while walking on Church Hill in Clones on the night of Friday29th of April last. He suffered an injury to his leg as did his friend although his friend’s case was more severe as he had a broken and bleeding ankle.

Daniels injury is torn ligaments and a problem with his knee, the extent of which cannot yet be assessed as x rays taken are inconclusive due to severe swelling.   However Mrs Quigg said she cannot understand the delay on the night in treating her son. Daniel himself said he and his friend were taken by ambulance to Cavan General and arrived there at about 11pm. As his friend was bleeding he was rightly taken away and was transferred to Drogheda.  Daniel had to wait about fifteen minutes before being spoken to by a nurse who informed him that as he was only 13 years old she couldn't examine him without his parent being present. He said the A&E was full with people on trolleys and others on chairs waiting to be seen. He said despite the fact that he was in severe pain he had to stand outside as there was no chair for him to sit on.   His father Frank said he arrived about fifteen minutes later and he informed the nurse who he was and the staff could now examine his son. They got seats in the waiting area about 11.30 and waited and waited but no one came to examine Daniel. Eventually Daniel's mother Paula arrived at about 3.25am and at this stage Daniel had still not been examined or assessed.

When Paula asked if he could be assessed or at least be given painkillers,a nurse game him Panadol. Paula said the waiting continued until 5am when she again asked and was told Daniel was next on their list. He was eventually called, examined by a Doctor and asked if he had been xrayed to which he replied he had not. He was taken to x ray at 5.20am and brought back to the same Doctor who read his x rays and told him the examination was inconclusive and he would have to come back last week. His leg was bandaged and they left the Hospital at 6.45am, seven and three quarter hours after arriving.   An angry Mrs Paula Quigg said, “We have the best health service in the world as long as you don't get sick. Having to wait over six hours in A&E to be seen by a Doctor is a disgrace. Cavan General was overcrowded and could not cope with the emergencies. No 13-year-old child should have to wait four hours in a hospital for pain relief. It is ridiculous that anyone should have to wait five and a half hours to be assessed by a Doctor in a hospital. Just because my son wasn't bleeding externally or unconscious does not say that he wasn't injured. His leg is badly swollen. His injury was left five and a half hours without being seen. The sooner Monaghan General Hospital goes back on call at night the better. Cavan cannot cope as Doctors and Nurses are stretched to the limit not to mention facilities and capacity. The HSE system is wrong as there are not enough Doctors to cope in Cavan.”