Mattie McGrath recounts 90-year-old friend's unsafe discharge
Mattie McGrath described the forced discharge of his 90-year-old lifelong friend from Clarence St. Joseph's to a distant convalescent facility, saying the man was not fit to go and later died. He criticised the discharge process, the absence of an advocate, and what he called mistreatment of elderly patients in hospital care.
McGrath recounted that his friend spent a week in hospital and was moved on a Monday evening by "a couple of doctors" to a convalescent facility many miles away. The friend was reportedly only out of bed once during his stay, was hard of hearing, resisted the transfer, and was supported at times by his niece Mary, who objected to the move.
McGrath said the man was not fit to be discharged and that two or three doctors telling a 90-year-old he was "fit to go" was inappropriate given his condition. He described the transfer as shameful and unacceptable in 2025, arguing the man needed more care rather than relocation to a convalescent home.
He said the patient advocate or president had not seen the man, "apparently," and warned about patients who have no one to advocate for them. McGrath reported the hospital offered an apology after the event, but said that apology was insufficient.
McGrath said the friend "has now, unfortunately, gone to his eternal reward," and described the family and extended circle as devastated. He emphasised the wider risk that elderly people without advocates can be "cast aside" amid bureaucracy and large-scale health funding discussions.
Personal account of the discharge
McGrath recounted that his friend spent a week in hospital and was moved on a Monday evening by "a couple of doctors" to a convalescent facility many miles away. The friend was reportedly only out of bed once during his stay, was hard of hearing, resisted the transfer, and was supported at times by his niece Mary, who objected to the move.
Concerns about fitness for discharge
McGrath said the man was not fit to be discharged and that two or three doctors telling a 90-year-old he was "fit to go" was inappropriate given his condition. He described the transfer as shameful and unacceptable in 2025, arguing the man needed more care rather than relocation to a convalescent home.
Issues with patient advocacy and hospital response
He said the patient advocate or president had not seen the man, "apparently," and warned about patients who have no one to advocate for them. McGrath reported the hospital offered an apology after the event, but said that apology was insufficient.
Outcome and impact on family and friends
McGrath said the friend "has now, unfortunately, gone to his eternal reward," and described the family and extended circle as devastated. He emphasised the wider risk that elderly people without advocates can be "cast aside" amid bureaucracy and large-scale health funding discussions.
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Transcript
Good morning. Minister, I heard your speech, I was in the chair actually at the start, and I congratulate both of your ministers, your new roles, or all of you. Wish you well. You're outlining the funding and the massive increase in funding from 14 billion to now nearly 26, I think you said. But I have a personal story to relate about, and this heading tonight is very appropriate, and it really hurts me. My lifelong friend of 90 years of age, celebrated two weeks ago, was in the hospital for a week in Clarence St. Joseph's, a secretary of general, and he was forced out of that hospital by a couple of doctors on Monday evening, into a convalescent many, many miles away. When he arrived there, he wasn't fit to be there. He didn't want to go. His niece, wonderful niece, Mary, who was minding him, was remonstrating all day. I was involved in the case myself, and he was moved, because he had no one to advocate for him. 90 years of age, powerful tradesman, wonderful neighbour, and a true friend, and it shouldn't have happened. So our elderly people are being mistreated in hospitals. There's meant to be an advocate president there, she hadn't seen him, apparently. When two or three doctors come to talk to a 90-year-old man, telling him you're fit to go, he wasn't fit to go. He was a week in bed, had only been out of bed once that morning, and he's now, unfortunately, gone to his eternal reward, and I think the hospital are apologetic. That's no good. I perish to think of all people who have no one to advocate for him. They're cast aside in all the millions and the billions and the bureaucracy, cast aside. And he's a patient advocacy person. So two doctors shouldn't talk to a man like that, who was deaf, was quite deaf, and knew he didn't want to go, in fear. And he said he'd go. It is shameful that this happened in a modern day, in 2025, in that hospital in Clonmel, and it's not acceptable. And the family are devastated. Obviously, his extended family is one of his friends and neighbours, because it was so unfortunate. If he was a bed blocker, he was there for a month, I'd say something. He was there one week, I visited him last Sunday night week, and he went to hospital tomorrow and after, because of the issue with his standing up, getting up. He was fine with a bit of treatment, but he was not fit to be discharged to that area, so he shouldn't have been. Thank you. And I think he's very, very sad. Good morning, good.