The temporary closure of the gynaecology ward at St Luke’s Hospital will cause unnecessary hardship for women awaiting treatment and procedures, a local Fine Gael Councillor has warned.
Cllr Catherine Connery made the comments in response to HSE plans to close the gynaecology ward for six weeks from July 21 to September 9.
“This is an extremely vital facility for women and suspension of this service should never be in question. Women are already on long waiting lists and clearly in need of a consistent gynacological service,” said Cllr Connery.
A statement issued by a spokesperson for the HSE said that the priority for management at St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow/Kilkenny and Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital in managing the hospital budgetary position, is to maintain front line and emergency services and to minimise any impact on patients.
“Activity and workload at both St Luke’s General Hospital and Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital tends to scale back when consultants and other staff members take annual leave during summer months. This does not impact on emergency services or patients in need of urgent hospital care.
“During these temporary closures staff will be redeployed and normal services at St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow/Kilkenny are not affected. The bed situation at St Luke’s is constantly monitored by the management team at the hospital and every effort is made to minimise the impact on patients.”
Referring to plans to close the gynaecology ward, the HSE spokesperson stated that a limited number of beds, approximately four to six in the gynaecology ward, have been closed subject to service demands for six weeks from July 21 to September 2008.
“Although I have been assured that priority and emergency patients will not be affected by these cutbacks, I am appealing to the HSE to rescind the decision to close the gynaecology ward at St Luke’s in the interest of womens' health needs,” reiterated Cllr Connery.
The HSE also outlined details of other temporary closures for both hospitals including the planned refurbishment of the paediatric ward which is scheduled to take place in mid-autumn for six to eight weeks. This will involve the transfer of the 20 bed paediatric ward to a 14 bed general ward for the duration of the works.
The six bed general day ward will be used to facilitate additional endoscopy procedures and other urgent diagnostic day case work for six weeks during July and August.
In Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital 22 beds have been closed for five weeks from July 18 until August 18 with a further 15 beds due to be closed from August 18 to September 1.
The pre-discharge unit, located at Kilcreene Hospital has been temporarily closed from June 1 to September 5. The HSE said the unit is closed to enable St Luke’s General Hospital to meet its targets as detailed in the National Service Plan in terms of expenditure and funded activity.
“During the peak summer holiday season, temporary closure of the PDU will enable reallocation of staff to the main hospital campus, thereby ensuring the most efficient use of available resources during the holiday period,” the HSE concluded.
