An Taoiseach Enda Kenny Deptmarment of the Taoiseach Government Building Upper Merrion Street Dublin 2 30th October 2012 Dear Enda, I was taken to Mater Hospital at 2.30pm on the 20th September 2012 by an ambulance from Dorset Street Lower Dublin following an accident in my wheelchair. At the hospital, a few X-rays were taken on my back and they found nothing wrong with my back. Their diagnosis revealed I only had an irregular heartbeat. Consequently, I was admitted overnight. At about 8.30pm, I was put on the stretcher and was later moved to a dark room where I was made to pass the night all by myself. At about 9.30pm a woman came to register/process me, she said to me, “according to my records you are Mr. Tom Chambers living at Newcastle County Galway and your GP is Dr Pat Conway.” Despite having given my correct details on admission to at least six members of staff I was astounded to realise that both the address and the GP’s name on her record were wrong. Much later while in the cold room nobody came to change my clothes, I went on the stretcher with the same clothes I wore when I had the accident until when I was discharged the next day. At 12.30am a nurse opened my door and asked me if I would like a blanket. At 8.00am the following morning I was taken out of the room to the nurses’ station where I enjoyed a bit of heat at long last .The nurses monitored my heartbeat before I was discharged. Panic set in at about 1.00pm when my heart started racing mad because a nurse administered to me the wrong heart medication. I was later discharged at 5.00pm on Friday 21st September. I came back home to Newport Co Mayo and went to my GP who referred me to Mayo General Hospital. I was admitted on 27th September 2012 and following X-rays the findings were a fracture of the upper T1 to mid T11 level (Copy of report of radiology attached) which revealed contrary to the findings at Mater Hospital. I would like to know when I was discharged from Mater Hospital there was no information about my fractured backbone from their X-ray. The Consultant in Mayo General, who was looking after me, told me that, if it the fracture was not detected on time, it would have led to a heart attack. I’m writing to have this matter thoroughly investigated and to understand why a big Hospital like Mater should misdiagnose and mistreat such a life threatening incident. Kind regards, ………………… Tom Chambers