Officials to reduce complex operations at Cavan Hospital

The North Eastern Health Board has reportedly decided to significantly reduce complex operations at Cavan General Hospital following a number of adverse clinical incidents at the hospital.

Reports today said all patients presenting themselves at Cavan Hospital for complex surgery would, in future, be considered for referral to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth.

The new policy follows a preliminary review of 15 adverse clinical incidents at the surgical unit in Cavan between September and December last year. The review was ordered last month following the death of a nine-year-old girl three weeks after she underwent an appendix operation at Cavan Hospital.

The Irish Nurses Organisation has responded with scepticism, saying the review appeared to be part of the North Eastern Health Board’s "ill-thought out" plan to consolidate acute hospitals regardless of the wishes of patients.

It also questioned how the NEHB expected to increase the use of Drogheda Hospital without increasing nursing numbers and bed capacity.

INO industrial relations officer Patsy Doyle said: "Our members don’t believe [the proposals] are realistic. They’re not practical and they’re not patient-focused, in line with the North Eastern Health Board’s recently released strategy.

"If the patient is at the forefront, the patients should be treated in Cavan. That is our position. Our members in Drogheda are not in a situation to cope with additional patients."