There are no plans to curtain A&E services at Mayo General Hospital, according to assurances given in the Dáil to Beverley Flynn TD.
Deputy Flynn has described rumours that A&E services were to be reduced to a five day, nine to five, schedule as totally without foundation.
She raised the matter at the Dáil Committee on Health and Children on Wednesday on foot of representations she had received expressing concerns that the HSE was planning to reduce A&E hours at Mayo General.
However, Professor Brendan Drumm, CEO of the Health Service Executive assured Dep Flynn that there were no plans whatever to implement any reduction in hours, and that it would be “at least 20 years” before any consideration would be given to such a change.
He acknowledged that while there were difficulties in coping with patient demand in the A&E unit from time to time, Mayo General staff were delivering an excellent service in A&E.
Prof Drumm went on to say that under the direction of the hospital’s new clinical director, Dr Michael O’Neill, it was hoped to streamline A&E services more effectively.
“I am delighted that Professor Drumm has given me this unequivocal assurance that A&E services at Mayo General are to continue on a 24/7 basis, and that there is no question of any cutback in operating hours,” said Dep Flynn.
“Mayo General’s A&E service remains central to the delivery of first class patient care in Mayo,” she added.
