This article is from page 4 of the 2007-10-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
BISHOP of Killaloe Dr Willie Walsh has lent his support to a campaign to retain accident and emergency serv- ices at Ennis General Hospital.
The leader of the Catholic Church in the diocese told the rally that ‘as Christians we need to provide a health care system that is universal’.
“Many of us here have health insur- ance but it is not right that any of us can get preferential treatment just be- cause we can afford to pay a private health insurance,” he said.
“It is a challenge to all of us to com-
mit ourselves to building a society that cares for our sick anything else is less than Christian.”
Mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia Mc- Carthy (Ind) told the crowd that the minister for health confirmed to the five mayors of the county that the development of the hospital would go ahead, that any retiring consult- ants would be replaced and that she wanted a higher level of activity at the hospital.
Among the other commitments given was that the accident and emer- gency department would be consult- ant-led but “going into the future it
would not be consultant-led for 24 hours. The model to be put in place during the non-consultant-led pe- riod has not been defined or agreed. Mammography services will not be part of the radiology service to be provided.”
“IT welcome the commitment of the minister for the improvements that she outlined for the delivery of health services in the county.
“However, in view of the isolated and dispersed nature of many of the communities in the county…it 1s 1m- portant that any changes do not take place within the existing services un-
til such time as promised improve- ments in the delivery of services… are in place and delivering a safe and best practice service,’ said the county mayor.
“While welcoming the roll out of BreastCheck and the commitment to centres of excellence and improved cancer treatment services, I am not convinced that going forward it is not possible to provide a mammography service at Ennis General Hospital.
“Modern technology in my opinion can and should be used to provide a safe and efficient mammography service at Ennis General Hospital.”