‘Hospital appointments do not conflict with Hanly Report’

TWENTY-four-hour medical cover meant patients with heart attacks, spinal or head injuries, and accident victims will be stabilised in hospitals like Nenagh and Ennis before transfer to major trauma centres in Cork and Limerick, sais Health Minister Micheál Martin yesterday.

Mr Martin was attempting to clarify confusion that arose when the Mid-Western Health Board announced it was appointing eight new doctors to their accident and emergency units, a move that seemed to conflict with the Hanly Report, which said, ultimately, there should be no round-the-clock cover in these hospitals.

"The guy in Loop Head will still have a problem but what Hanly is saying is the next time an ambulance is called that it will have far better equipment and personnel to deal with emergencies, the system will be better," he said.