Fianna Fáil TD Beverly Flynn has allayed fears that Belmullet District Hospital is to be downgraded, following bed closures in the hospital last weekend which caused concern that this was a sign of a downgrading.
Earlier in the week Fine Gael spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, TD Michael Ring sent out the message to the HSE: “Hands off Belmullet Hospital”, after he heard rumours that beds would be closed in the hospital.
However Deputy Flynn told the Mayo Advertiser that following these rumours she spoke with the local HSE management who said that there “has been no decision taken whatsoever” in relation to the downgrading of the hospital. Dep Flynn, member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, also said that she raised these downgrading concerns in an Oireachtas meeting where Professor Brendan Drumm “specifically referred to Belmullet Hospital,” when discussing the future enhanced role of district hospitals. He “emphasised that Belmullet Hospital would be given a key role in HSE plans for the delivery of health care,” Dep Flynn explained.
The TD explained that the reason that the hospital is not working to full capacity is due to the fact that staffing positions have remained unfilled due to the ban on recruitment with around 25 per cent of nursing staff having left due to retirement and have not been replaced. Dep Flynn said that a moratorium on recruitment is no longer viable and the Fianna Fáil TD said that after speaking with a HSE senior official in HR on a national level she was informed that “significant changes” are to be announced next week in relation to the moratorium on recruitment in the HSE.
Dep Flynn said that she will “maintain pressure” and “do everything possible” on a national level to ensure that the “vital facility” of Belmullet District Hospital is maintained.
