Deputy Denis Naughten is to raise his concerns regarding the transfer of patients from Roscommon County Hospital to Cloverhill Private Nursing Home over last weekend when he meets with hospital management this morning [Friday].
“I have a scheduled meeting on Friday morning with the Galway/Roscommon University Hospital Group management team and its chief executive Bill Maher, and I intend to get a full explanation as to how this bizarre transfer happened,” said Deputy Naughten.
“This transfer would have caused distress and inconvenience to the patients concerned and raises a number of questions for hospital management: Firstly, what consultation took place with the patients and their relatives? And who was responsible for patient care from when they left the hospital on Friday evening until their return to Roscommon County Hospital on Monday morning?
“Secondly, why are patients in Roscommon County Hospital, if clinicians believe that they can be cared for in a nursing home?
“Thirdly, was an option to transfer patients to the Sacred Heart Hospital considered rather than transferring the patient to a private nursing home?
“Fourthly, what steps, including the recruitment of staff, will now take place to ensure that this incident is not repeated?
“Clearly, this situation should not have arisen in the first place and it is now imperative that hospital management provides a clear explanation and reassurances that it will not be repeated,” he concluded.
