Members of staff at Mayo General Hospital were informed this week that their working hours were being cut — some by as much as half. Cllr Michael Kilcoyne has condemned the cutbacks, claiming his sources have confirmed that there will be a total reduction of 80 beds at the hospital by year end, despite the HSE saying the figure will be around 30 beds.
“The HSE is an organisation like a runway train that’s out of control and I don’t believe the information they give. The people being affected by all of this are those at the bottom and not on salaries of €200,000, ie, the nurses and carers who are focused on patient care. They are trying to move trolleys out of A&E into some of the wards as we speak. The whole thing is a shambles,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.
At the HSE West monthly meeting in Galway this week forum members despaired at the ongoing cutbacks and reductions and the continuing move to centralise hospital services. Management met query after query with the general refrain that funding was inadequate and very little could be done.
“I guarantee that the next thing that is going to happen is that A&E will now finish at 10pm. There will soon be no services after 10pm, mark my words,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.
