Peamount 'refuses to admit highly-infectious TB patient'

Peamount Hospital has reportedly refused to admit an eastern European man suffering from highly-infectious tuberculosis, despite the fact that the hospital is still the national specialist referral centre for TB.

Reports this morning said Peamount management had blocked a request to move the patient from the Mater Hospital, even though doctors at Peamount had agreed to treat him.

The move raises questions about Peamount’s commitment to TB services, which it is planning to eventually phase out.

The hospital terminated the contract of its medical director and TB specialist Luke Clancy earlier this month, but insisted that the move would not lead to an immediate halt to the provision of TB services.