Martin meets Cavan hospital board

PUTTING a positive spin on Cavan General Hospital was not enough to convince people that patient care was as it should be at the hospital, Hospital Action TD Paudge Connolly said yesterday.

He was commenting on yesterday's meeting between Health Minister Micheál Martin and representatives of the hospital's medical board.

The 90-minute meeting between the minister and the hospital's medical board concentrated on operational issues, such as training, funding and bed capacity.

Afterwards, Mr Martin described the meeting as "very productive" while members of the board described it as "positive".

Those incidents, including concerns about the deaths of a small number of patients, are being investigated by the North-Eastern Health Board.

While the meeting considered having Monaghan General Hospital carry out more surgical procedures, putting the hospital back on call was not considered.

A spokesperson for the minister pointed out last night that all the matters raised would be brought to the attention of the health board by the minister's department.

Mr Connolly said it was a mistake to have Monaghan General Hospital off call when Cavan General Hospital was coming under pressure dealing with accident and emergency cases.

The independent TD said the meeting was a typical example of administrative linguistics.

"They used the same flowery language as they did during the baby Bronagh Livingstone saga when lots of promises were also made," he said.

"When you start stripping the situation apart, analysing it and asking if the same thing could happen again tomorrow yes, I am saying it can," he said.

Mr Connolly believes all of Cavan General Hospital's troubles started when Monaghan General Hospital went off call and two consultants were suspended. It was exacerbated when a third consultant went sick.

"I have no doubt that the core problem hasn't gone away," he said.