HSE boss refuses to rule out downgrades

THE head of hospital services in the Health Service Executive (HSE) South has refused to rule out a downgrading of emergency department and surgical services in the region on a par with those being implemented in the Mid-West.

Speaking after the latest HSE Southern Regional Health Forum meeting, Gerry O’Dwyer, Network Manager for the Southern Hospitals Group, said there would be a reconfiguration of existing services over the coming months, including the introduction of nurse-led minor injuries clinics in Cork city and a centralisation of emergency department services at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

However, despite the statement, the senior HSE official declined to reveal any timeline or details of the report, and refused to confirm that the controversial service changes in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s in Limerick will be replicated in the HSE South, stating he had to discuss the matter with “relevant stakeholders” first.