This article is from page 4 of the 2008-08-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE Health Service Executive’s fail- ure to replace retired surgeons at En- nis General Hospital has raised fresh concerns over the downgrading of the hospital. ;
Mr Gerry Byrnes and Mr Denis O Ceallaigh, two of the longest serving consultants at the hospital, recently retired from their senior positions at
the Ennis Hospital.
Asked if the HSE plan to replace them with two full-time surgeons or with locum surgeons who will be shared with other hospitals, a spokes- woman said they had been replaced by locum consultants who “work ex- clusively at Ennis General”.
One of the locums is understood to be on a long-term contract and Green Party county councillor Brian
Meaney has expressed unease with the situation given that the HSE has initiated a review of surgical serv- ices.
“It seems we won’t just be battling for A and E but also for surgery. If the hospital cannot retain surgery, it will effectively kill off the A and E, because you won’t have access to all acute facilities,’ he said
Ennis Hospital Development
Committee chairman Ciaran O’Dea said the refusal of the HSE to replace retiring consultants with permanent appointments was further evidence, if any was needed, that the HSE will continue to undermine the future op- erational feasibility of Ennis Hospi- ee
‘Mary Harney’s stated strategy for the hospital is to remove 24-hour A and E status. One would have to wonder if there is a level of suffering or “acceptable losses” which the HSE will tolerate in the apparent drive to reduce services in Ennis to minor in- jury and day care treatment.
“The continuing delays in upgrad- ing the hospital, the recent “Ennis bypass” ambulance protocol, staffing embargos and the failure to replace consultants or provide staff for a CT scanner are all issues that lead one to wonder how many more will suf- fer before the HSE decide that Clare people deserve a properly resourced hospital and health service.
“It is increasingly obvious that a new approach is needed to combat the pressures to centralise services and population.
“It 1s unacceptable to the people of this county that our lives and the lives of our loved ones will be sac- rificed for an ineffective, inefficient unaccountable national body and political system, which seems to dis- regard councillors and TDs alike, as has happened with other issues such as Shannon Airport,’ Mr O’Dea con- cluded.