This article is from page 3 of the 2012-08-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
NOT one patient has been treated in the new multi-million euro unit at Ennis General Hospital one month after it was due to open.
It is understood that issues relating to staffing and more minor concerns about equipment are the latest obstacles holding up the process.
At the beginning of July, the HSE outlined a plan to move patients into the unit on a phased basis.
It stated that the first round of patients would be transferred to the 50-bed unit from the second week in July.
This was to be followed by reconfiguration works connecting the existing hospital and the new ward block in late July, a project that was to take approximately six weeks to complete. Once these works are completed, the transfer of patients to the first floor of the new unit was to take place.
It is now one month on from when the first patient was to be moved to the new state-of-the-art wards and there is still no life in the new hospital unit.
The HSE now say, “The 50-bedded unit in Ennis will be opening shortly on a phased basis. The ground floor will be occupied first, which will enable the first floor of the old part of the building to be vacated to facilitate the joining of the new building with the old building. Once this is complete, the first floor of the new building will be occupied.
“We are currently finalising human resource arrangements and awaiting the final pieces of equipment to be delivered to facilitate the opening of the ground floor,” it said.
Clare member of the HSE West Forum, Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) said he was disappointed that the hospital unit was still closed almost 10 months after the builders had handed over the keys to the health authority.
He accused the HSE of “dragging its heels” on the issue.
“I am absolutely amazed that all staffing issues and problems hadn’t been negotiated before this,” he said.
“We need this unit open because we need to bring confidence back to the service and give proper service to the people of Clare,” he added.