Hospital ‘starved’ of funds, say volunteers

THE Government has been accused of “starving Mallow General Hospital of adequate funding”, according to volunteers helping to support the facility financially.

The claim was made yesterday by the Friends of Mallow Hospital, who state that less is spent on each patient, in a catchment area of 100,000, than any other general hospital in the country.

Friends of Mallow Hospital treasurer Noel O’Connor said the Government had yet again failed to assign significant money from its budget surplus to upgrading the facility.

However, the Health Services Executive said comparisons shouldn’t be made with other hospitals in Cork which deliver regional specialist services.

But Mr O’Connor said there hadn’t been “one single building development” since the Mallow hospital opened 50 years ago, even though architects drew up plans in spring 2004 for a major regeneration.

“We are in dire need of construction of a day care procedure centre and proper geriatric facilities,” Mr O’Connor said.

Mallow was the first hospital in Cork and Kerry to pioneer day procedures. But the day care ward is small, overcrowded and even without toilets. There is no day care operating theatre and no endoscopy unit.

He claimed the first consultant post to be created in 20 years is about to be filled by a geriatrician. But the north Cork hospital has had no permanent radiologists for the last seven years. There are 10 at Cork University Hospital, five each at the Mercy and Bons Secours and four at the South Infirmary.

Mallow, unlike these hospitals, also has no MRI scanners currently in operation.

“The size of the intensive care unit, the casualty department and operating theatre are totally inadequate for the considerable workload. The hospital deals with as many operations in the one theatre as other general hospitals which have four,” Mr O’Connor said.

He added that parts of north Cork have the oldest age profile of anywhere in the country, yet it is the last hospital to have a consultant geriatrician appointed.

Meanwhile, the Friends of Mallow Hospital say that while they are grateful to have been approved for a potentially lifesaving CT scanner, they are still awaiting its installation.

Tony Long, Cork University Hospital Group deputy manager, said an additional consultant anaesthetist post was provided at the hospital in 2002 and an additional surgeon in 2004, both of which were brought in to address on-call commitments. He added that there are also two permanent joint radiologist posts being appointed to the hospital.

Mr Long said €600,000 is being spent on equipment upgrading and refurbishment and a further €1.5 million has been received for the provision of a CT scanner. He said planning requirements for the necessary construction work to house the equipment were also nearing completion.