Management at Letterkenny University Hospital have spoken out after a patient suffering from Covid was taken from the hospital against medical advice.
A video of the man being taken from the hospital was posted on social media.
It shows him being taken from the hospital amidst claims that he was forcibly being put into the intensive care unit.
In the video a man is seen claiming that he is “rescuing” the patient from the hospital.
The man is heard saying “We are saving lives and we are going to save more.”
“We came to Letterkenny to rescue my friend because they were trying to kill him.
“We are walking home from the hospital and nobody is going to stop us. We are going home. We are saving the lives of the people”
The man claims he is operating under common or natural law.
The man claims they are going to get more people out of hospital claiming “they are killing people without consent.”
The patient, who was accompanied by his wife, is heard explain to doctors how he felt better on Wednesday morning but was told he must enter the Intensive Care Unit.
However, hospital staff are heard explaining to him how the Covid virus strikes in peaks and troughs.
An unidentified doctor pleads with the patient to stay in the care of the hospital.
The man, understood to be a Consultant at the hospital, tells the patient that what is happening is wrong.
“It is endangering your life by doing that. You have the right to decide what you want to do.
“I don’t think what he is saying is right at all. You are barely able to breath there now. We want you to stay to help you,” says the Consultant.
However, the man trying to remove the patient from the hospital interrupts and says “If you stay here they are going to f******** kill you.”
The consultant again tries to plead with the man saying “I want to help you and I want you to stay. I think he is saying something very dangerous. What he is saying is very wrong and very dangerous and I think he is endangering your life.
“It’s a very difficult decision you have. I’m not lying to you that you could die but your best chance is in the hospital and getting oxygen and getting the support we are giving to you.”
The man accompanying the patient then claims the hospital staff are lying to him and says this is his last chance to get home.
The consultant then pleads with the man wife to stay in the hospital.
The patient said he was told that he was improving but had to go to ICU and says “There is mixed messages all across…”
The man accompanying the patient again interrupts claiming that he is in charge and that he has a right to speak.
The group eventually leave the hospital.
A spokesperson for Saolta said they cannot comment on individual cases.
However, the spokesperson confirmed the Saolta University Healthcare Group is aware of two incidents where groups have spread dis-information at its hospital sites.
The spokesperson said “Saolta has grave concerns about the impact of this type of activity on both patients and staff.
“Patient safety and care is of paramount importance to the group. Hospitals across the region are under extreme pressure as a result of record levels of attendances of both Covid and non-Covid patients.
“The deliberate spreading of dis-information and at times defamatory comments against named staff members along with the posting of these videos on social media platforms is adding significantly to the burden already facing healthcare professionals.”
It adds that while Saolta endeavours to facilitate patient visiting when possible, incidence like this are highly disruptive and upsetting in clinical settings.
“All hospitals under the Saolta governance are facilitating patient visiting in line with national guidance.
“All visits to in-patients are pre-arranged and facilitated at the request of the patient. People coming to the hospital must continue to follow all the public health guidance including wearing a face mask and using hand gel regularly.
“Visitors are required to complete a screening checklist regarding COVID-19, prior to visiting the hospital.
“If any member of the public fails to follow these guidelines while on site they are asked to leave the hospital.
“Members of the security team are involved in any incident which escalates and An Garda Siochána are involved where appropriate.”
