People in Galway will fight tooth and nail to oppose any attempt to downsize Portiuncula Hospital, vpwed FG deputy Paul Connaughton last evening.
Deputy Connaughton says while he has been assured by the HSE West that there are no proposals on the table to do this he is urging the public to remain vigilant.
Staff of all levels at the acute Ballinasloe facility feel “vulnerable”, he says, in the wake of a recent ward closure and the letting go of almost 30 employees, mostly contract nurses and clerical workers.
The Fine Gael TD says he has been “inundated” with calls from staff who fear their jobs may be under threat.
“Heartbreaking stories are coming to the fore concerning young married contract nurses who have large mortgages and in some cases their spouses are also out of work which makes their position very difficult indeed. In other cases, nurses who are employed for years find their hours reduced.”
He says he was “shocked” by the levels of fear and anxiety among staff and the public who are adamant that there should be no slimming down of activities at the hospital.
Deputy Connaughton says the HSE West has assured him the future of the facility is secure but he still has concerns.
“I have been advised by Mr Alan Moran, head of hospital operations, HSE West, that whilst there has been a reduction of staff numbers of approximately 30 and that others have been put on shorter working hours and also that a ward has been closed the HSE have no plans to downsize the hospital.
“Mr Moran said many other Irish hospitals are going through the same difficult procedures. He said that it might be a possibility that some workers who have been laid off may be offered employment in the future but he would give no guarantee whatsoever on this issue.
“He stated Portiuncula hospital played an important part in the delivery of acute hospital services, not alone in Co Galway but in several other adjoining counties.”
Deputy Connaughton says the facility’s maternity hospital delivers up to 2,500 babies per year.
“This in itself means that such numbers could not be accommodated at Galway Regional Hospital. Portiuncula is currently in the process of opening a special medical assessment centre which will greatly enhance the intake and treatment given to people who present themselves at A&E without the need for them to be admitted to the hospital itself. This process has been experimented on in both the regional hospital in Galway and in Castlebar with certain positive results.”
He says it is important that the Minister for Health and the head of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm, understand that feelings are running high in Ballinasloe. People are deeply committed to the hospital, he stresses.
“The people of counties Galway, south Roscommon and parts of the midlands will fight tooth and nail to hold onto a flourishing acute hospital at Ballinasloe. While it is encouraging to hear Mr Moran’s comments it is incumbent on everybody to be vigilant in the future.”
