“Threat to Navan Hospital services will be very familiar to Monaghan people” – Matt Carthy TD
Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, has said that the current threat to services at Navan Hospital will be very familiar to Monaghan people as will the HSE promises of better services to be provided elsewhere. Deputy Carthy said that the plans to remove crucial emergency services from Navan Hospital will impact primarily on communities in Meath but, as with the removal of similar services in Monaghan, it with result in further stress at other hospitals such as Drogheda.
Teachta Carthy stated:
“The people of Navan and surrounding communities are right to vigorously oppose the removal of vital services from their local hospital.
“The stated proposal by the HSE to close the Accident and Emergency Department at Navan will be all too familiar to Monaghan people. The HSE suggestion that a Navan Minor Injuries Unit will be met with incredulity in Monaghan where the same promise was previously made – that service current operates minimal opening hours, a situation government insist they will not change.
“In County Monaghan the decisions by previous Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments to remove services from Monaghan hospital continue to have serious negative repercussions.
“Emergency services were withdrawn from Monaghan and resulted in drastic overcrowding at Cavan and Drogheda hospitals.
“A minor injuries unit, MIU, was eventually established. It is a great service that should serve to ease pressure on both GP and emergency departments. However, the MIU only operates Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in contrast with most other minor injury units which operate seven days a week, 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
“On top of that, for non-GP referrals there is now a fee of €75 for patients to attend.
“The result of this is that the numbers attending the MIU are not optimal while the demands on GPs and on emergency departments are ever growing. It is as if the Government is trying to make a bad situation worse.
“Now, a bad situation at A&E departments in Drogheda and elsewhere could be worsened if the current plans to close Navan emergency services are allowed to proceed. Communities in Meath are absolutely correct to oppose those moves and they will have the full support of Monaghan people.
“The fact that it is again a Fianna Fáil Minister that is overseeing the removal of services at Navan, just as it was in Monaghan. In both cases Fine Gael are willing partners to the decimation of local health services.
“Governments refused to listen when we warned them of the consequences of withdrawing services from Monaghan Hospital – a decision still rightly challenged by all right-thinking people – in the interest of the people of Meath and beyond, I hope government will listen this time.”
ENDS
