Candidates asked to sign hospital pledge

The Save Navan Hospital Campaign is calling on all candidates in the Meath East by-election to sign a pledge to defend Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan.
Those who sign this document will state that, if elected, they will not support any attempt by the Government or HSE to downgrade Navan.
Dr Ruairi Hanley, PRO of the campaign said; “The pledge has been phrased in such a way as to remove any possible ambiguity. Those who add their names are committed to retaining all existing services in Navan until the new regional hospital is constructed.
He said the Save Navan Hospital Campaign remains a politically neutral organisation which draws support from across the political spectrum.
“We will be inviting each candidate in the By-Election to publicly sign our pledge and commit themselves to a secure future for our hospital,” he said.
The candidates will be written to this week with a copy of the pledge which states;  “As a candidate in the forthcoming Meath East by-election, I hereby pledge that, if elected, I will not support any attempt by the Government or HSE to downgrade or undermine Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan.
“Specifically, I will not accept any removal or reduction in services provided by Accident and Emergency, intensive care, acute medicine, surgery, psychiatry or other hospital departments.”
Each candidate signing the pledge will promise not to support any ‘reconfiguration’ or proposed ‘Small Hospital Review’ that seeks to remove any of these services from Navan.
Finally the pledge states that Our Lady’s Hospital must not be downgraded until the promised new regional hospital is constructed in the town.