Harney vows to consult after 10,000 protest hospital changes
At a 90-minute meeting at Leinster House midweek, a deputation of patient, medic and county council representatives met with Ms Harney and a number of officials over planned changes at South Tipperary General Hospital.
The Clonmel facility was the subject of a 10,000-strong protest on Saturday over plans to cut its emergency department, general surgery, intensive care, critical care, maternity and paediatric services and re-base them at Waterford Regional.
A draft report outlining the service changes is due to go before the HSE board later this month.
However, speaking to representatives of the Save Our Hospital Action Group on Wednesday Ms Harney confirmed that the plans will now be discussed with protesters.
“The report has been drafted and is going to the HSE board soon, but we’re hoping this means we may get a deferral,” said group spokeswoman Marie Corcoran.
“In the past the consultation with us hasn’t been meaningful, but we are hopeful that’s going to change. The simple answer is that this isn’t over,” she added.
The meeting took place after the Clonmel rally on Saturday.
Organisers of the protest – supported by Tipperary hurling captain Eoin Kelly and ex-footballer Niall Quinn, consultant surgeon at South Tipperary General Hospital Dr Peter Murchan – said the proposed changes would fail to improve patient safety or medical standards.
“This hospital is just three years old, it was officially opened by Minister Harney in 2008. Since that time six new consultants have been appointed and €45 million has been spent making it the excellent hospital it is.
“We are not opposed to reconfiguration when it makes sense – the breast cancer services have moved to Waterford in line with the centres of excellence philosophy. But we are opposed to this ill-conceived plan,” Dr Murchan told the crowd.
South Tipperary General Hospital serves a population of 150,000.
In 2009, it had more than 33,600 emergency department admissions and 4,500 day cases.
In a statement responding to the rally, a HSE spokesperson said there was no reason to fear the imminent health service changes.
