This article is from page 8 of the 2005-10-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE ‘Taoiseach has this week LoysVebuenlo(eMmBn I MER, SUL ONOTcammOer-l Mmm als continuation of acute care at the Mid West Regional Hospital En- nis “remains a Government com- mitment”’.
His strongest indication to date that Ennis’s 24-hour accident and emergency service will remain Open came in a letter to the chair- man of the Ennis General Hos- pital Development Committee (EGHDC), Peadar McNamara.
A member of the EGHDC de- scribed the letter as “political soothing noises.”
The letter stated, “…. capital investment of €20 million indi- cates the Government commit- ment to keeping a fully function- ing Accident and Emergency Department in Ennis.
“It is not just in the capital side that we have made clear our commitment to Ennis A and E. Dedicated Emergency Care phy- sicians have also been employed providing round-the-clock med1i- cal cover to Ennis A& E. A & E Consultants sessions have been introduced from July 2005.
“Eight nursing staff have been upgraded to CNMI Level at En- nis and clerical staffing at the Ennis A & E Reception has also been extended.
‘There has also been structural reconfiguration of the A & E de- partment carried out to improve patient flow; this included a new reception area.
‘T would hope that our commit- ment to acute care is clear from our investment thus far, and the continuation of this acute care remains a Government commit- ment,’ Mr Ahern continued.
‘T would also take this opportu- nity to reiterate any commitment to continued planned investment in Ennis General Hospital’s serv- ices with a programme of new hospital facilities, new consultant posts and consultant led services, and new paramedic services.”
The PRO for the EGHDC said yesterday “we can have all the political soothing noises, but we have to hear that the para- graph (referring to A & E) in the Hanley Report will not be imple- mented.”
‘There are three people in this
trinity, the Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and _ Professor Drumm. We now want to get a meeting with Professor (Brendan) Drumm, CEO of the Health Serv- ice Executive,’ he said.
The spokesperson for the lobby group also expressed annoyance that a journalist had been leaked the letter, dated October 6, be- fore the intended recipient had received it.
He called into question the Government’s “way of doing business,” describing the leak as appalling.