By Mickey Ferry
A Strabane mother has voiced her "disgust" at the lack of emergency medical services available in the town, after taking her ten-year-old son, who was having a seizure, to Riverside Surgery at the weekend only to be told that no staff were available.
Lorraine Brown, from Brookvale, was alerted to her son Ryan's ill health early on Saturday, August 16, when he was complaining of headaches.
"Ryan wasn't feeling well all day," explained Lorraine. "He vomited, so I went upstairs to run a bath. When I went back into the kitchen he was sheet white and very incoherent in his speech."
Lorraine decided to ring the out of hours service at the surgery, and contacted husband, Kieran, who made his way home. At this stage, Ryan's condition had deteriorated.
On arrival at Western Urgent Care, they saw that the front gate was closed. A security guard informed Lorraine and Kieran that no medical staff were present.
"A call for an ambulance was made. On arrival Ryan was put into the back and oxygen was given to him immediately. Surely, if medical staff were available at the surgery, this could have been administered. When we arrived at Altnagelvin, the doctor we met was disgusted by the fact that no-one was available at the surgery in Strabane," claims Lorraine.
That night in Altnagelvin saw Ryan treated with diazepam, which failed to improve the situation. He was then moved to the resuscitation room, put on life-support and had a pipe fitted in his throat to help with his breathing.
Medical staff considered transferring Ryan to the intensive care unit in Belfast City Hospital if he failed to wake up. Eventually the oxygen tube was removed from his throat when his breathing improved and it was agreed that he should remain in Altnagelvin.
"It's ridiculous to think that no medical staff were available on a Saturday evening. With no staff present, thankfully Ryan recovered that night but it's no thanks to Riverside Surgery," said Lorraine.
The Chronicle yesterday spoke to Eugene Dunn, General Manager of Western Urgent Care. He said, "Although I cannot comment on individual cases, I can say that if any complaint is made to us, the matter will be fully investigated."
