Multi-million-euro A&E to open on ‘phased basis’ after 19 months idle

HEALTH service management have insisted Mercy University Hospital’s (MUH) multi-million-euro accident and emergency (A&E) department — which has lain idle for 19 months — will be opened “on a phased basis” within three weeks.

Speaking to local councillors at the southern regional health forum meeting in Cork County Hall yesterday, senior HSE South management said the long-awaited opening of the facility would take place before December.

Despite a €4.7 million price tag, the high quality emergency department has failed to be opened since construction work concluded in June 2007, with a series of previous opening dates passing in vain.

The situation reached a low point earlier this year when staff at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and MUH revealed management were seeking to postpone plans to open the service on a 24/7 basis due to cost constraints — meaning up to 10,000 patients could be diverted to CUH each year.

Fine Gael councillor Tim Lombard urged the HSE to provide a cast-iron date for when the service would be opened, adding that the situation had become an “absolute farce”.

However, reacting to the comments at the health forum, HSE South hospital networks manager Gerry O’Dwyer insisted the service would be opened “on a phased basis” by the end of November — with a specific date for when the facility will be opened on a 24/7 basis due to be confirmed at the end of next week.

“The new accident and emergency department is due to be opened on a phased basis at the end of this month,” confirmed Mr O’Dwyer.

“The existing level of emergency department services will be transferred to the new facility which will operate on a 24/7 basis. Discussions are ongoing with management of the MUH and I will inform the members when an exact opening date has been agreed. I should have a date by the end of next week,” he added.

Despite the assurance, Cllr Lombard said patients in Cork would not be convinced until they saw the unit opened, with previous guarantees for when it would be opened failing to be acted on.

“I’d welcome it if it really was opening at the end of the month but I’m concerned. We were told it would be opened four months ago and it hasn’t.

“We were told at the time it was imminent. I was under the impression then that it would be opened; that was four months ago.

“We need an exact date for when it will be opened because it’s an absolute farce. Not having the unit open on a 24-hour basis by now is an absolute outrage,” he said.