Health crisis worsens as consultant quits post

A CONSULTANT paediatrician has quit his post over a lack of resources, dealing a further blow to the embattled health service.

Dr David Coghlan is to resign after just three years in frustration at the situation in the southern region of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The paediatrician at the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) is the second Cork-based consultant to resign in the last three months to work in Dublin.

In another blow to the Southern Area of the HSE, a female consultant paediatric gastroenterologist who was appointed to a Cork hospital job a year ago has changed her mind and is to remain in Dublin.

Dr Coghlan said the loss of clinical specialists to Dublin will continue as long as jobs based outside the capital remain under-resourced. Dr Coghlan will move to Tallaght Hospital in October where his arrival and a second appointment will boost the number of consultant paediatricians to eight. "Paediatrics continues to have a low profile in the region and badly needs to be prioritised as was done with the cancer, cardiovascular and other strategies," he said. The region has just 10 consultant paediatricians the lowest number in the country.

In March this year, cancer specialist Dr Oscar Breathnach gave his notice at Cork University Hospital (CUH) after four years of campaigning unsuccessfully for a dedicated cancer ward.

Dr Coghlan's departure means children with cerebral palsy who attend his clinic for injections to relax spastic muscles, allowing them to walk, face the prospect of having to travel to Dublin for treatment.

He said he had resigned because he had no designated back-up team to assist him and he was effectively carrying out two jobs.

Dr Coghlan said it is difficult for him to refer children without the dedicated back-up of physiotherapists, psychologists and speech and language therapists.

"Not providing the proper resources is like saying to a surgeon 'I'll tie one hand behind your back and throw your surgical tools out the window and I still expect you to operate to the same standard'." He said he has unsuccessfully sought more resources since coming to Cork, and the arrival of the HSE has meant "getting passed around even more from pillar to post".

Dr Coghlan said paediatric services in Cork scattered between MUH, CUH and St Finbarr's need to be centralised into one specialised unit.

A spokesperson for HSE (Southern Area) said: "We recognise that there is a requirement for resources in this area. That case has been made to the Department of Health for the provision of an additional consultant's post and a working group has been established to develop an integrated model of paediatric assistance across all sites. Dr Coghlan is part of this group."

Last week, Professor Brendan Drumm turned down the position of chief executive of the HSE.