Laundry closure sign of ‘hospital downgrade’

HEALTH campaigners have condemned plans to close a hospital laundry, describing it as another step towards the downgrading of a city hospital.

They said the closure of the facility at Cork’s St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, coupled with plans to transfer its orthopaedic surgery functions, confirms the HSE wants to downgrade the entire hospital.

The laundry, which employs 23 people, is due to close before the end of January.

The Campaign for a Real Public Health Service condemned the move.

The HSE said it has to close the laundry on health and safety grounds.

A spokesperson said the hospital must ensure that its core service of patient care remains its priority.

“The laundry service would require significant investment to upgrade the facilities and management are exploring cost effective alternatives to deliver the service,” she said.

“It is important to note that staff currently employed in the laundry service will continue to be employed within the HSE.”

But campaign chairman Jim Cronin blamed the HSE for the lack of investment.

“There is no reason why the laundry at St Mary’s cannot be kept going if the HSE invested a few bob in it,” he said.

“That is what should now be done rather than going down the road of closure.”

Meanwhile, a Tipperary firm which has won awards for innovation, has been granted interim examinership as part of an attempt to protect over 60 jobs at its Donaskeigh and British headquarters.

However, a spokesman for Gerkros Boilers, which won the Overall Small Firms Association (SFA) National Small Business Award, said the company has “a very good future”.

“We have very good prospects in the US, and in Canada as well,” he added.

He blamed the recent sharp downturn in the construction sector for the decision.

The appointment of an examiner is an option available to insolvent limited companies, and allows them the protection of the Courts while they explore options to provide for their survival.

Gerkros recently agreed a deal worth about €9 million per year to supply wood pellet boilers to homes across the north east of the United States.

The company employs 60 full-time and 15 part-time staff at its headquarters in Donaskeigh, and it has an office in Doncaster in Britain.It had a turnover last year of €10.3m.

Founder and managing director of the family-run 1971-established business Gerry Crosse said the company was on course to achieve a turnover of €14m this year.

Last year, the company was described by the SFA as a “leading Irish domestic renewable heating company” when it won its prestigious National Small Business Award.