5 September 2010
Navan hospital rally: 'Closure threat to patients’
SINN FÉIN Deputy Mayor of Navan Councillor Peadar Tóibín has said closures of services at Our Lady’s Hospital in the town are a threat to patient safety.
Addressing a rally of over 600 people to protest at the hospital cloure, the Deputy Mayor also criticised Fianna Fáil Minister and local TD Noel Depmsey for his lack of action in relation to the issue.
Peadar Tóibín said:
“Meath has the lowest provision of doctors in the country. Not a single one of the 12 Primary Care teams promised for this county has been established. The promised new Regional Hospital for Navan has come to nothing.
“Even under the HSE’s plans none of these service closures were supposed to be implemented until the necessary investment had been made in other hospitals to take the overflow of patients.
“However no investment has been made in these neighbouring hospitals. People from Meath will spend longer on waiting lists and will be forced onto trolleys in hospitals already full to the gills.
“The closures of services at Navan Hospital are not for ‘patient safety’ they are a threat to ‘patient safety. I am calling here today that in the interest of ‘patient safety’ that Fianna Fáil and the HSE be closed down’.
Toibín said the people of Meath had a stark choice:
“We allow the slow death of our health services or we get up off knees and fight for Navan Hospital.”
Among others who addressed the Navan rally were Tony FitzPatrick from the INMO, Noleen O Donaghue from SIPTU and Sinn Féin County Councillor Joe Reilly.
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