HSE gives 'execution date' for Monaghan General Hospital

DISASTER: Decision flies in the face of all appeals from front-line healthcare workers

SINN FÉIN Dáil leader and Health & Children spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has described as “a disaster for our health services” the announcement by the HSE that the axing of all acute services in Monaghan General Hospital is now scheduled to go ahead on 22 July. He said lives would be put at risk.
Speaking on Wednesday Ó Caoláin said:
“The announcement this morning by the HSE that the axing of all acute services in Monaghan General Hospital is now scheduled to go ahead from 22 July represents a disaster for our health services. This decision flies in the face of all appeals from front-line healthcare workers, including nurses, GPs, consultants and support staff and from the community in County Monaghan across all political and religious divides.
“Having sentenced Monaghan General Hospital to death with its plans for centralisation of all acute services, the Fianna Fáil/Green Government and the HSE have now announced the date of execution. From 22 July we will lose vital hospital services, including emergency services and inpatient medical care. Lives will undoubtedly be put at risk. When Monaghan General Hospital was ‘off-call’ for emergencies in the past, the result was loss of life.
“This decision is also a sentence of hard labour for Cavan General Hospital. Some 3,000 medical admissions per annum to Monaghan are to be transferred to Cavan General Hospital without the provision of a single additional bed in Cavan which is already operating at full stretch and beyond.
“This decision represents an attack on the health services of the people of County Monaghan by this Fianna Fáil/Green Government and a betrayal of the people by the Fianna Fáil TDs for this constituency – Deputies Margaret Conlon, Rory O’Hanlon and Brendan Smith. They should hang their heads in shame because their inaction has helped to bring about this attack on a hospital that has served generations of our people.”