IMPACT trade union has written to the HSE’s interim regional director of operations (RDO ), John Hennessy, seeking commitments on a wide range of posts to be filled in Portiuncula and Roscommon hospitals.
The union has sought the commitments following a verbal commitment by Minister for Health Mary Harney to fill two vacant consultant posts in Portiuncula, which was confirmed by local TD Michael Kitt.
IMPACT has been campaigning for several months against what it believes to be attempts by the HSE to downgrade the Ballinasloe hospital.
The letter sent by union official Padraig Mulligan to Mr Hennessy seeks a clear undertaking to provide an update on posts in the two hospitals, including the two unfilled consultant posts in Portiuncula.
It also seeks commitments on a range of other posts to be filled at Portiuncula, including a date when they can expect new microbiologists to begin working a proportion of their time there.
The letter also requests an update on emergency department (ED ) positions, in relation to the five unfilled junior doctor posts as well as the senior house doctor post, stating that failure to secure these posts will jeopardise ED functions provided at Portiuncula.
Details are also sought on dates for the filling of the risk manager post, the Freedom of Information manager post, two physiotherapist posts, and the radiology manager post.
In relation to Roscommon Hospital, Mr Mulligan is seeking information on a range of issues including the physiotherapy department, saying that without the filling of two vacant physiotherapy posts, the viability of the hospital will be in jeopardy; and the theatre area, which he says cannot be efficiently run without the filling of two nursing positions and one caretaker position.
IMPACT is seeking an urgent update in relation to all of these posts.
“The community and our members begin to realise that the challenges of licensing these services by HIQA (Health Information Quality Authority ) in 2011 will not be possible and in fact will deem them unsafe without these posts being filled,” says Mr Mulligan.
