'There will be blood on HSE’s hands' if West Cork hospital services are downgraded, public meeting told

There will be blood on the HSE’s hands if it downgrades services at the largest hospital in West Cork, a public meeting has been told.

And one of the organisers of the meeting on the future of Bantry General Hospital (BGH), which was attended by several hundred people, said the region has 'roared' and that roar must be heard in Dáil Eireann.

The meeting also dismissed assurances from the Health Minister and the HSE that there are no plans to downgrade the facility, which caters for a population of some 82,000 people.

The meeting heard fears about the possible reduction in its acute services from 24-hours a day to a 9am-5pm service, and about delays in replacing consultant positions.

Health Minister Simon Harris insists there are no plans to downgrade the hospital and hit out at those suggesting so: “I think it’s very unfortunate that anybody would attempt to play politics with this and cause worry and concern to people in the area. I do hope the scaremongering stops and that people are absolutely reassured that there are no plans to downgrade Bantry hospital."

But Dave Dineen, who helped organise the meeting and who credits a consultant based at BGH for saving his life, said people just don’t believe the assurances:

“We are listening to experts on the ground and they are telling us that they are concerned about a reduction in certain 24-hour services.

We are afraid of the hospital being turned into a glorified nursing home. We are not just fighting for the future of the hospital. We are fighting for the future of the region. Our campaign will be fought peacefully and with dignity and will be won.

Fellow meeting organiser, Vanessa O’Sullivan, a carer who lives on Cape Clear, said the threat to BGH is real:

“The HSE’s view is a seven-day service is not a downgrade. But reducing it from a 24-hour seven-day a week service to a 9-to-5 service is definitely for the people of this area a downgrade."

Ber O’Sullivan said the geography of the region must be taken into account: “We are two and a half hours from CUH. Reducing the hospital’s 24-hour service would impact on the ability of patients to get to the already overcrowded CUH inside the golden hour."

“Getting there is life or death. There will be blood on the HSE’s hands - it’s as simple as that. That’s not scaremongering, that’s a statement of fact.”

The HSE insists that there are no planned changes to BGH's urgent care centre, comprising a medical assessment unit and a local injury unit, and that both units continue to operate seven-days-a-week.

It said it has provided funding to replace a CT scanner and endoscopy equipment, and that there are plans to double theatre activity from 2.5 days per week to five.