Martin should resign over bed closures, says McManus

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin should resign over the latest round of hospital bed closures, the Labour Party said yesterday.

Health spokeswoman Liz McManus said she had "bitten her tongue long enough". "Micheál Martin has been in the Department of Health for three years now and he's no new kid around the block. I feel it's time for him to go. It can't be tolerated that patients are being forced to bear responsibility for the cuts in frontline service. We need someone with a fresh approach," she said.

More than 250 beds are to close as hospitals struggle to rein in budget shortfalls. The hospitals affected St James's, St Vincent's, Tallaght, the Mater and Beaumont are all in Dublin.

Ms McManus also accused the Department of Health of suppressing the latest waiting list figures. The last figures in September showed 22,718 people on the waiting list for treatment. "The latest figures are due out normally in March, but we still haven't got them. We don't even know how bad the situation already is," she said. The Department of Health said the new figures would be released later this week and blamed the SARS crisis for the delay.

The proposed closure of 250 Dublin hospital beds was also fiercely criticised by the rest of the opposition parties and the unions. SIPTU called for the Eastern Regional Health Authority to be disbanded for "mismanagement of hospital services". Fine Gael said it was impossible for hospitals to provide the same level of services when medical inflation was outstripping budget increases.

"Last year the Eastern Regional Health Board got an increase of €81 million. With medical inflation running at 10%-15%, it would have needed €285m to stand still. So why are we surprised to see beds closing," said health spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell. The Mater Hospital is planning to close 105 beds while still negotiating with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to carry out procedures using the same beds, according to Ms Mitchell. She said it made no sense to make blanket cuts, leaving empty facilities and idle surgeons and nurses.

Sinn Féin apportioned most of the blame for the hospital cutbacks to Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy. Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said Mr McCreevy did not see the bigger picture on health. A spokesperson for Mr Martin said he would not be issuing any statements in response to opposition claims.