29/01/2008

Monaghan Hospital Facing Cuts

Cost saving proposals will have a severe impact on services, including those in accident and emergency services at Monaghan Hospital.

The move is a part of proposed cost savings in overall north eastern health services.

Radiologists and anaesthetists are also among those facing the axe as part of draft plans to re-route emergency ambulances, a leaked memo from the Health Service Executive (HSE) said.

Axed outpatients' clinics and surgeries contained in this year's plan will cause cancelled operations and longer waiting lists, Fine Gael health spokesman James Reilly said.

"These proposals will have a knock-on effect on waiting lists for treatment and waiting times for access," he added.

"They will also see cancellation of elective surgery continue.

"Once again in order to balance its books the HSE is sacrificing patient services while the burgeoning bureaucracy remains untouched."

The number of beds across Monaghan Hospital would be reduced by 10 under the draft plan.

The number of operations at Louth County Hospital will also fall.

The plans envisage cutting elective surgery by 20-25% in the Our Lady's Hospital in Navan, the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk and the Cavan/Monaghan hospital group.

The memo also highlights the possibility of reducing out-patient clinics by 20% in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, as well as the Cavan/Monaghan Hospital group.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said: "No decisions have been taken on reducing services in the north east. We are facing a challenging year and we are exploring how best to deliver services within budget.

"We should be in a position by mid-February to be more definitive about the services we will provide for the year."

(BMcC)

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