HSE to be quizzed over future of hospital

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) is to be asked to comment on claims that it is planning to temporarily close the theatre and outpatients services at Bantry General Hospital as part of a cost-cutting plan.

Cllr John O’Shea (FG) has claimed the HSE is to shut the hospital’s theatre from July 6-17 and to close all outpatient clinics from July 3-10 and August 24-28.

“I have also been told that the HSE plans to cut €250,000 off its outpatient psychiatric services,” said Cllr O’Shea.

He said he would be seeking clarification from the HSE on what he said would be “deplorable cuts”.

According to the HSE yesterday, no decision has been taken by the executive management board of Bantry General Hospital (BGH) about the closure of theatre or outpatient clinics.

“Discussions in relation to seasonal closures are ongoing and take into account the imminent introduction, this summer, of plastic surgery out-patients, day surgery services and the re-establishment of an orthopaedic outpatient service.”

Other services will be also provided by visiting consultants from Cork University Hospital (CUH), Mercy University Hospital (MUH) and Kerry General Hospital (KGH), said the HSE spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the man who drove his tractor 320 kilometres to protest outside the Dáil yesterday over plans to downgrade his local hospital is planning to tackle the Taoiseach this morning.

Dairy farmer Joe Burke left Bantry in west Cork on Sunday pulling a hospital bed behind his John Deere 6420S tractor.

He arrived at the Dáil yesterday and presented more than 1,000 signatures to west Cork Fianna Fáil TD Christy O’Sullivan demanding that services at BGH be maintained.

Mr Burke then requested a meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen today, during his visit to west Cork, to discuss the hospital issue.

“I plan to tell him that we must have a hospital in Bantry or lives will be lost. That’s it – it’s as simple as that,” said Mr Burke.

“It’s too far away from Cork city and if there is a serious accident in west Cork, and the proper services aren’t in Bantry hospital, lives will be lost.”

His 640-kilometre round-trip protest was prompted by revelations in the Irish Examiner last week of plans to centralise all acute care in Cork at CUH.

The report had recommended having one regional “centre of excellence” for acute care for Cork and Kerry based at CUH.

The MUH and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork city, Mallow and BGH and KGH, all of which provide acute care, would be downgraded to non-acute “local centres of excellence”.

However, Mary Harney has since given guarantees that KGH will not be downgraded after Jackie Healy Rae threatened to pull his support for the Government.

The HSE had planned to publish the report on June 9.

Mr Burke, who is running as an independent candidate, said: “It’s not easy driving a tractor all the way to Dublin but I made the journey to show the politicians I am not joking about this.”

Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott backed the campaigners.

“In 1981, there were more than five beds per 1,000 people and now there are less than three beds per 1,000 people. This halving of the amount of beds is causing hardship for many people.”