Hospital's cutbacks put lives at risk, warns TD

The closure of key services including accident and emergency wards at Monaghan General Hospital will undoubtedly threaten lives, it was warned today.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed there will be no admissions for serious and emergency treatment at the hospital from July 22.

Patients needing acute medical services will have to go to Cavan General Hospital while emergency cases will have to travel as far as Drogheda, Dundalk or Navan.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin said the closure was a mortal blow for the people of Monaghan.

“Lives will undoubtedly be put at risk,” he said.

“This decision flies in the face of all appeals from front-line healthcare workers, including nurses, GPs, consultants and support staff and from the community in county Monaghan across all political and religious divides.”

Mr O Caolain claimed the move would see an already stretched Cavan General Hospital swamped with an extra 3,000 admissions every year, without the provision of a single extra bed.

The Sinn Féin Cavan/Monaghan TD slammed Fianna Fáil colleagues in the constituency for allowing the closure of services to go ahead.

But Fianna Fáil TDs Rory O’Hanlon and Margaret Conlon said they didn’t support the partial shutdown ahead of new services being put in place.

“We have been repeatedly assured by HSE representatives that the removal of services would not take place until adequate measures were satisfactorily in place, but this is not yet the case,” they said in a joint statement.

Both TDs said they were seeking an urgent meeting with Health Minister Mary Harney and HSE chief executive Professor Brendan Drumm.

The HSE claimed its decision to shut down serious and emergency services was based on evidence that complex procedures should be carried out in “high volume hospitals”.

A minor injury unit will remain open 12 hours a day at Monaghan.

Dermot Monaghan, general manager of Cavan and Monaghan Hospital Group said steps were taken to safely centralise acute services at Cavan General Hospital.

“The extended and enhanced ambulance services with additional vehicles and personnel are in place,” he said.

“We are confident that the new arrangements will not pose capacity issues for Cavan General Hospital.”