Complex surgery removed from Portlaoise hospital

All complex surgery is being moved away from Portlaoise hospital and emergency department hours are being reduced to a daytime-only service.

Complex surgeries are being transferred to St James' Hospital in Dublin or to the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore.

It follows a damning report into Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise by the health watchdog HIQA.

In a statement, the HSE said that the volumes of complex surgeries at Portlaoise are too low to maintain the required expertise of clinical staff.