14yr old misses out on liver transplant - state helicopter not available

[jinnyjoe]

A 14 yr old girl got the call from Great Ormond Street hospital last night for a liver transplant unfortunately the state helicopter was busy (in Monaco at society wedding) the air corps could not make until 3.30am which was too late resulting in Maeve missing out on this all important operation. Shame shame shame!!
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/t...er-511371.html

[Fugee]

This is a very serious story.

There are many commercial aircraft options to bring our president down to that party.

[Baron von Biffo]

Air corps helicopters are not air ambulances and so wouldn't be on standby for cases like this.

[Fugee]

Air corps helicopters are not air ambulances and so wouldn't be on standby for cases like this.

And they should not be hanging around down in Monaco while our president is partying.

[Fugee]

One other thing, why could they not get a flight themselves?

[Baron von Biffo]

Looking at the article again - it was probably the government jet that's being referred to. Macker would hardly have gone to Monaco in a helicopter and in any event the Air Corps has more than one of them.

[Fugee]

Looking at the article again - it was probably the government jet that's being referred to. Macker would hardly have gone to Monaco in a helicopter and in any event the Air Corps has more than one of them.

I think all the rescue choppers were outsourced recently?

I would have thought Macker was on the jet, cos a chopper would not have the range to get down there.

[Fugee]

Ryanair have a flight from Dublin to London at about 10pm on Saturdays. They could have jumped on that? I'd be pretty sure the police in the UK would facilitate quick passage to the hospital in central London.

[immigrant]

Ryanair have a flight from Dublin to London at about 10pm on Saturdays. They could have jumped on that? I'd be pretty sure the police in the UK would facilitate quick passage to the hospital in central London.

Of course. I bet even O'Leary armed with the knowledge that this little girl was so ill would have put on an empty plane. Hope the idiots in HSE are dismissed and brought to trial if we can prove some case against them.

[culmore]

Did the President not use Ryanair, thought there was cutbacks for everyone

[Baron von Biffo]

Did the President not use Ryanair, thought there was cutbacks for everyone

Don't the ferries have steerage class any more?

[TotalMayhem]

unfortunately the state helicopter was busy (in Monaco at society wedding)

Sad as it is, but something doesn't add up here: there is no such thing as the state helicopter. The Air Corps is operating 8 helicopters which are occasionally used for the Ministerial Air Transport Service, but none of them is specifically assigned to the MATS.

[Fugee]

Another odd thing here is, I thought the lead time is up to 16 hours notice for a liver transplant?

If the young girl was in such danger, why were they not closer to the hospital?

Even 10 hours is more than enough time to get from Dublin to London ( have had to make the trip myself at very short notice).

[C. Flower]

If she was in Leitrim at 7.30 and needed to be in London for 3.30 a.m., she might have needed a helicopter to get to Dublin airport. I can't understand why the presence of the aircorps in Monaco would be affected by that. Hasn't the rescue service been privatised ? Couldn't someone have authorised its use ?

The father of a teenage girl who is awaiting a liver transplant has said his daughter missed an opportunity to receive a transplant last night due to a lack of resources.

Fourteen-year-old Maeve McGiveran from Ballynamore in Co Leitrim has been on a transplant list at the Great Ormonde Street Hospital in London since last August.

At around 7.30pm last night, the family received a call saying a liver was available for Maeve, but unfortunately the air corps could not collect her. It is believed the corps was occupied out of the country on official business with the President at the time.

The coastguard then offered its assistance, but would not have been able to make it to London until around 3.30am, too late to proceed with the transplant.

Maeve's father Joe, said the Department of Health had to review the protocols in place for these types of situations.

He said: "We're still trying to come to terms with what has happened, and also that if this had been a life-threatening situation, we would have a dead child here this morning."

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/t...#ixzz1R4rN3Kmr

[Fugee]

If she was in Leitrim at 7.30 and needed to be in London for 3.30 a.m., she might have needed a helicopter to get to Dublin airport.

Depends on what part of Leitrim. Leitrim to Dublin airport can be done in 2 hours, no problem at all.

It can be done quicker if the Gardai wanted to help, thus making the 10pm flight no problem.

Also, why was she so far from Dublin airport if on such a critical waiting list?

Was there already an agreement in place to get a chopper to take her?