This article is from page 16 of the 2012-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
THE Department of Health said no date has been set for the downgrading of the former Accident and Emergency Unit at Ennis General Hospital to a Local Injuries Unit, similar to that opened in Nenagh yesterday (Monday).
It added that any decision to make changes to the hospital would be subject to yet another report – the Smaller Hospital’s Framework Document.
Changes to the role of the County Clare hospital within the Mid Western hospital group are already been included in numerous reports such as HIQA’s report into safety at the Ennis hospital and the acute medi- cine programme.
All reports point to what the HSE say is now policy, the changing yet again of the role of the former A and E.
However the announcement last week of the changes due in Ennis, led to political unrest.
Fine Gael Clare deputies, Joe Carey and Pat Breen, said they received confirmation from the Minister for Health, James Reilly, that no final decision has been taken in relation to services at Ennis hospital.
“I wrote to Minister Reilly seeking clarification on a number of issues, following reports locally that changes were to be made at Ennis hospital. The Minister has assured me and Deputy Carey that final decisions will not be made in rela- tion to changes at Ennis before the publication of the Small Hospital’s Framework Document,” said Deputy Breen.
“I believe our focus needs to be on improving services in the mid-west region, in order to support patient care and ensure the services provided at both Ennis and Limerick hospitals complement each other. For example, upgrading ambulance services across the county will ensure people can be transported quickly and receive the treatment they need.”
Deputy Carey said, “The reality is, despite the claims being made by Timmy Dooley [Fianna Fáil TD], people with major traumas have been treated at Limerick Regional Hospital for the past three years, since Fianna Fáil downgraded services at Ennis. What we need to do now is push ahead with acute improvements at Limerick Regional Hospital together with the development and enhancement of current services at Ennis General and the provision of those which are proposed.”
In a joint statement the deputies said, “Our health services are going through a major period of change, and there will be huge challenges ahead. We cannot shy away from hard choices, but what we can do is demand patient care is not compromised.” The Clare People asked the Department of Health who would make the final decision on the role of the current Local Emergency Centre and former A and E – the HSE, the minister or the cabinet?
It said the change would be subject to a final decision made on foot of the publication of the Smaller Hospital’s Framework document.
“In advance of the publication of the Smaller Hospital’s Framework Document, final decisions have not been reached,” a spokeswoman said.
“The information provided by the HSE locally in Limerick (related to Ennis hospital) is informed by the categories articulated by the National Clinical Programmes and is also informed by exigencies related to standards required by HIQA. The response sets out respective relationships between three hospitals. It also adds that no date has been set for such changes,” she added.