HSE denial that anaesthetic cover to be lost at hospital

The HSE has confirmed that 'detailed planning' regarding the future of Navan Hospital is currently underway but denied that night-time anaesthetic cover will cease there in the coming weeks. In response to speculation that after-hours anaesthetic cover was to cease in Navan before the end of the month, the HSE moved to quell the rumours but said detailed planning regarding the hospital's future was taking place and there would be engagement with senior clinical and other senior staff regarding the changes, and later with all affected staff. A spokesperson pointed out that this had been well-flagged since the 2006 Teamwork Report that complex acute hospital services could only be safely sustained in the north-east at two sites - Cavan and Drogheda - with Navan, Monaghan and Dundalk providing a range of significant and essential local hospital services. The chairperson of the Save Navan Hospital campaign, Cllr Peadar Tóibín, said he believed that essential services in Navan's Hospital are under imminent threat. According to Cllr Tóibín, senior sources at the hospital have stated that there is a real fear that the coronary care unit (CCU) and the ICU unit will be cut. He said he has also been told that medical on-call, which is provided after 6pm, also would be taken away. “This would mean that if a person had a heart attack after 6pm in Meath, that they would not have a hospital to go to in the county. I am also being told that not enough anaesthetists have been employed, despite qualified anaesthetists being available for the job. In the short to medium term, the hospital's A&E ward, psychiatric unit and orthopaedic surgery services are also for the chop,†he claimed. “If these steps are taken, it will be a body blow for our hospital. There is no capacity available for the overflow in Drogheda,†he added. He said the Save Navan Hospital organising committee is demanding a moratorium on cuts until the new government takes office. “12,000 people took to the streets of Meath in largest march this county has seen in 80 years last October. These people cannot be ignored. “We will steadfastly oppose these cuts. The people of Meath are entitled to a modern standard of accessible healthcare and we will not accept third rate facilities,†Cllr Tóibín warned. Meanwhile, Derry Fitzgerald of the Friends of Our Lady's Hospital, expressed horror at the possibility of any reduction in services, particulalry anaestethic cover and coronary care. He said that as long as the current political regime was in power, services at the hospital were under threat and he urged the people of Meath not to vote for the parties who brought the downgrading about. “I am not a political person. I am not telling people to vote for anyone, but if they support the people who brought these cuts about, they are asking for trouble,†he said. Meanwhile, last week's pledge by Fine Gael that it will build a new Regional Hospital for the North-East within five years have been rubbished by Cllr Tóibín, who challenged Enda Kenny, as a possible future Taoiseach, to clearly state that he supports his local candidates on this matter and that FG will construct a new regional hospital for the region within the next five years. “Let's be clear about one thing. It was local leadership, community organisation and people power that saved hospital services last October and it will be the same leadership, organisation and people power that will ensure a new regional hospital is built,†he declared. Deputy Thomas Byrne also raised questions regarding the Fine Gael statement. “FG have stated that funding will be made available to design, plan and build the hospital. FG must outline exactly where this funding will be provided from, as even under a public private partnership, significant state investment will be required,†he said. He added that the public was entitled to know when the Fine Gael candidates had met with potential investors in the new hospital and if they had arranged for the HSE or the Department of Finance or Health to meet with these investors.