Two operating theatres may close in the county’s hospital during July and August due to an overspend in the hospital’s budget, the Mayo Advertiser had learned.
In a letter circulated to heads of department from the general manager of Mayo General Hospital Charlie Meehan (on June 3 ) which accompanied details of their current financial position, the general manager states that the hospital “continue to treat more patients than we are currently funded for and this level of expenditure is unsustainable in the current climate”.
There are overspends in nursing, management/admin, and paramedical on-call. The hospital is also over budget in relation to agency costs for medical and paramedical staff. Mr Meehan said the reliance on agency staff “is likely to increase in July as a result of difficulty in recruiting doctors”.
Non-pay costs have also increased, “particularly in the area of surgical and orthopaedic supplies and costs associated with the increase in demand for their laboratory services,” the circular outlined.
Mr Meehan said these issues need to be addressed in the short term, or the hospital will have to reduce services in the coming months. One option being considered is the closure of two theatres from July 18 to August 14 2011 with the subsequent closure of G ward and beds in the orthopaedic department. Another is the reduction in coronary care beds and the increase use of telemetry.
Proposals by heads of departments were to be made to the general manager by today (June 10 ) in order to “demonstrate tangible short-term saving”, or the hospital management “will have to proceed with planned reduction of services during the summer period”, outlined Mr Meehan.
Taoiseach should intervene
SIPTU representative and Councillor Michael Kilcoyne said that these proposals are “ridiculous” and “off-the-wall” and he is calling on the Taoiseach to personally intervene in the matter as it clearly is the “rapid downgrading of Mayo General Hospital”.
“I said last January that within 10 years Mayo General Hospital would be a glorified nursing home,” he added.
Cllr Kilcoyne said that if these measures are to be implemented it is nothing but “disgraceful” and he asked “what is the guy who has a heart attack or breaks his leg over the summer going to do?”
