Midlands TD Welcomes Pause In The Closure Of Hospital ED

Tuesday, 19 October 2021 15:42

However, he wants the treat to the A&E fully lifted.

The Department of Health has been instructed to pause all 'reconfiguration plans' by the HSE when it comes to Navan Accident and Emergency Department.

Meath West TD and Chairperson of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign, Peadar Tóibín TD is welcoming the decision has welcomed news.

Deputy Tóibín says: "I understand the Minister for Health has directed the pause of the closure of Navan Hospital A&E. This is good news and a victory for the Save Navan Hospital Campaign. However the threat to our A&E must be fully lifted. We cannot allow the closure process to simply recommence as soon as the Covid threat recedes. Our bottom line is the deletion of the threat to our Hospital for good. Otherwise we will all be back in the same situation in 6 months. We will keep the energy for the campaign up and we will as a campaign meet on Thursday at 8pm to discuss developments".

"There are 11 adult public ICU beds left available in the whole Health System yesterday and yet shockingly the HSE was on the verge of closing the ICU and emergency beds in Meath. This is scandalous. NE Doc on Call has stated that their service is already beyond capacity in terms of demand and yet the HSE seek to radically add to the record levels of patients that are using that service. Staff in Connolly Hospital came out in protest last week due to the pressure that hospital us under and patients are telling me of 11 hour waits in Drogheda A&E. 1 million people are on hospital waiting lists many for years and the HSE is implementing an out of date plan that is 11 years old. The HSE are detached from the reality of so many patients and so many front line workers".

"I have invited each political party to nominate their senior Health spokesperson to speak at the Mass Rally that will be held on the 30th of October. I will be asking them 3 very simple questions on the day. Will they commit their party to overturning the HSE decision to close our A&E/ICU. Will they add the necessary resources to our A&E to ensure that it functions at 100% standard and will they delete for good the policy to close our A&E in all government and HSE policy documents. Until we get a commitment from Government on these three issues our campaign will continue".