New hospital posts ‘not a U-turn on planned health reform’
Rounding on his critics who yesterday accused him of creating “a cynical smokescreen”, Mr Martin said it was not his decision to advertise for emergency care physicians at the Tipperary hospital.
“I wasn’t involved in this other than to sanction it, but I would share the concern of the Mid Western Health Board (MWHB) that you do need to continue with services.” The new physicians will oversee the operation of Nenagh and Ennis A&E units overcoming staffing problems caused, the minister said, by the difficulties for training junior doctors and a soon-to-be-introduced shorter working week. The minister’s critics claim the recruitment decision stems from fears of a backlash at the polls against proposals to downgrade the two hospitals and reduce the A&Es to nurse-led minor injury units, in line with the Hanly Report. The revelation that physicians are now being sought to run the units on a two-year contract has been hailed as a Government climbdown.
