Public meeting gives thumbs down to HSE’s plan to cut hospital beds
Strong protests were voiced against a decision to close eight beds in the 48-bed hospital.
Amid warnings that the hospital may be ultimately closed, elected representatives for government and opposition parties pledged support to a campaign to fight the cuts, launched at a public meeting in Kanturk.
A letter from a Duhallow GP, who asked not to be named, was presented at the meeting and hit out at “militant bureaucracy” by the HSE, which had resulted in the hospital performing at 80% capacity.
“This has ‘justified’ the HSE’s decision to close eight beds, despite increasing needs in the community,” he said. There would be far reaching implications for the area, which had a higher than average ageing population.
The doctor said the proposals for the ambulance service did not address the geographic, demographic or illness profile of the area.
He pointed out that rural communities, such as Kanturk, only called for ambulances in significant emergencies and ambulances in surrounding areas, such as Newcastle West, Tralee, Cork, or Mallow did not have timely responses.
Independent councillor Tim Collins warned that the eight bed closures could be followed by other bed closures and a stage could be reached where the hospital was left with only half of its beds.
“I’m afraid the HSE will then come back and say it doesn’t pay us to run this hospital and will turn the key on the door,” he said.
Invitations were issued to the HSE by Kanturk Community Council, which called the meeting to attend, but no officials were present. However, a document from the HSE produced at the meeting said it was committed to retaining the hospital.
A 40-bed service was, “appropriate to meet the needs of the area”, it said.
Plans to reduce Kanturk’s 24-hour ambulance service and to replace it with paramedics and a rapid response car, out of hours, were also strongly opposed.
According to the HSE document, the ambulance service will move from the existing on-call arrangement to a new work practice where crews will be rostered to work on-duty rather than on-call.
On-duty responses will be a mix of emergency ambulances and rapid response vehicles, the HSE said.
Also, an advance paramedics service will start in North Cork next month.
A dedicated patient transport service will be based in Mallow General Hospital.
