Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There continues to be misdiagnosis of patients in emergency departments throughout the country. Let me give a couple of examples. I know a woman who was discharged from hospital, even though she had a fractured back. She had no one to look after her at 11 p.m. and had no money. She had been brought to the hospital by ambulance and was dismissed at 11 p.m., even though her back was fractured. I know of another woman who was sent away, although she had a broken ankle, on which she hobbled around on for three days. Another woman who presented with a life threatening illness was told by a receptionist that her next appointment would be a month later. She told the receptionist that she knew there was something seriously wrong with her and that it would be her month's mind instead of a hospital appointment. I have outlined just a few examples of what has happened in some hospitals, but there are many more. Will the Leader request the Minister for Health to come to the House to give us the aggregate numbers of cases involving a misdiagnosis that have happened in hospitals in recent years? I want the Minister to outline the safety measures he has put in place to ensure misdiagnoses will be stopped and ensure the safety of patients in hospitals.