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According to Deputy Joe Carey, he and fellow Clare TD Pat Breen, have met with Minister for Health Dr James Reilly informally on a number of occasions since the formation of the new government and have brought up issues in relation to the reduction of services in small hospitals.

“What he said in relation to the future of Ennis hospital is that we have come through the HIQA process, there are no patient-safety issues and there will be no change to the services that are currently given at the hospital,” Deputy Carey told The Clare Champion.

According to Deputy Carey, “A policy in relation to smaller hospitals will be developed but Ennis is already there”.

A meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party called to discuss the controversy over hospital closures took place last Wednesday and continued into the night.

“The HIQA report in relation to Ennis was published in 2009. Minister Reilly said Ennis has come through the HIQA process and there is no patient-risk fears now. We have a dramatically reduced service introduced by the last Government and we lost surgical services, we lost 24-hour A&E and all major trauma cases are brought directly to Limerick,” Deputy Carey said.

“The hospital is working well at the present and we are committed to developing the new 50-bed ward block and works are ongoing. When fully completed, it will be the first Strategy for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Ireland (SARI) compliant hospital facility in the country, public or private, which will help to combat hospital acquired infections, such as MRSA and C difficile. We are also committed to the development of an endoscopy unit, which is nearing completion,” he went on.
(Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) warned that “further procrastination and delay is not acceptable and can put patients’ lives and safety at risk”, following confirmation that it will close it’s A&E in November.

HSE Chief Executive, Cathal Magee, confirmed last week that Mallow General Hospital’s emergency department is to be replaced in November with an urgent care centre, which will be open 12 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week and will result in all major trauma incidents being referred to Cork University Hospital (CUH). A Medical Assessment Unit is also expected to be established there in April 2012.

Management and staff at the Mallow hospital will discover more this week following negotiations with the HSE.

He stated that Roscommon, Loughlinstown and Bantry hospitals would also lose their A&E departments.

Last Wednesday the HIQA published its background narrative and update on developments arising from HIQA’s reports into patient safety issues.

It also warned that it believed that change for safety was long overdue in many aspects of the health system.

“The Authority recognizes and understands the difficulties in bringing about these changes. However, further procrastination and delay is not acceptable and can put patients’ lives at risk. The Authority will continue to highlight patient safety concerns as they arise and evaluate and monitor the HSE’s implementation of our recommendations and future compliance with national standards,” HIQA said.

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