Mass meeting in support of Navan Hospital

A mass meeting will take place in the Newgrange Hotel tomorrow night as the campaign ramps up against proposals to downgrade the A&E in Navan within 14 months.
Local campaigners have just 14 months to save Navan’s accident and emergency department (A&E), following a clear indication from senior HSE management two weeks ago that the facility will be relocated to Drogheda next year.
On the eve of the mass meeting in support of Our Lady’s Hospital Navan, chairman of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign, Peadar Tóibín said “HSE head office has stated that they will close the A&E in Navan Hospital. The Minister for Health James Reilly has stated that it is his intention that the A&E is closed in Navan. Senior HSE management in the north east have stated that they intend to close the A&E before the end of the year. This means that A&E will be lost. The HIQA hit list stated that Our Lady’s was for the chop and the Framework for Development of Smaller Hospitals indicated that we would lose out 24 hour A&E.
“The writing is on the wall. It is the government’s intention to do away with one of the most important pieces of health infrastructure in our region. 
“Last year, more than 100 doctors from across the North East wrote to the Minister for Health over ongoing attempts to remove services from Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan. GPs from four counties across the region signed the letter opposing any downgrading, in particular any closure of tour A&E.”
 'The Save Navan Hospital Campaign will have a mass public meeting in the Newgrange Hotel tomorrow Wednesday at 8pm. Representatives of all political parties will address the meeting.”   
There was a furious reaction to the news two weeks ago that the A&E would cease to be a 24 hour service within 14 months.
On RTE’s ‘Prime Time’, Ian Carter, the HSE’s national director of acute services, said Navan would lose its A&E department within “14 or 15 months”.