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Keeping you up to date with the recent news
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| New Junior Minister gives hope issued 14-May-2008 | reply to | Deputy Michael Finneran, Roscommon, has been appointed (I do not like the word 'elevated' as it implies a certain Godliness) one of the new Junior Ministers by Brian Cowen. Joe Finnegan interviewed Michael on radio this am and I did not know whether to cheer or cry.
Cheer firstly - well Michael is against the removal of Consultant Surgeons and Anaethetists from Roscommon and cannot see that this will happen. If that is the case then we have a champion for our cause at the cabinet table. He then went and spoiled it all be saying that one cannot compare Monaghan with Roscommon. We need to know why. What is special about the Roscommon people? Why can Monaghan people be sacrificed but not Roscommon people? The Monaghan Consultants have been as vociferous, if not more so, than his friends in Roscommon hospital but they have not been listened to. Why should the HSE listen to the Roscommon Consultants?
Hwe then gave the impression that the document sent to Roscommon councillors was only a discussion document with various optional proposals and that when it would come before the Minister it would be rejected. Where did we hear that before? - Oh yes - Bertie told us that he would reject any plan that came before him, which would remove services from Monaghan. Yes, he said that to Joe Finnegan on radio just before the last General Election. We said then and we say to Michael Finneran - you will not get another chance to vote on it - you have already voted in favour when you voted for the Hanly Report as Government policy. There is no going back other than to re-visit Hanly and reject it totally, but Michael will not put himself out on a limb to do that - will you Michael?
We were told that they were only discussion documents each time the HSE came forward with proposals. No one ever had to vote, there was no public consultation, they did not listen to Consultants from our hospital, it just happened as per document and we had no power to stop it. Neither will the people of Roscommon on their own and that is why all small hospitals throughout the land need to get together and fight a unified battle. Roscommon has begun the action this time with their call for a NO vote on Lisbon. We will decided at our next meeting whether to do similar or begin a different action but the one certainty is - the war goes on until they sit down and talk. Are the afraid to talk because their arguments will not stand up to debate? Are they afraid to debate because our arguments will win out? Are they afraid that if they are defeated they lose power? Are they afraid that they might have to put the patient first and disappoint their friends? Are they afraid that they will be asked to organise and manage more than they are capable of? Are they afraid that the surplus jobs will be exposed? What is their reason?Back to Top | | March for Hospital issued 12-May-2008 | reply to | A fairly decent crowd turned-out for the Hospital March on Saturday last, which was as many as were expected since there were so many other events on, e.g. Confirmation for a huge number of youngsters in the Cathedral and the Meath Football League final plus weddings and a funeral. Monaghan Brass Band and Clontibret O'Neill Pipe Band prodided a catching start to the parade. The Hearse (thanks to Conor Clerkin, Threemilehouse), led the way, symbolising the need for such transport if they go ahead and remove emergency services from our hospital. If this happens we intend to ensure that those responsible for the deaths by removing the services will be named and shamed and be held accountable, not like last time, when they got away in the smoke.
There are many to be thanked for their assistance in organising the March. Gery Coyle and Ronnie; Murphy Video Services; the two bands; the Gardai; Marie O'Connor; the Marshals; the five members of Monaghan Senior Football team; the members of the Alliance committee; the Court Services for use of Courthouse steps and forecourt; all who helped with publicity and the Northern Standard in particular; the Parish Bulletins; members of the clergy who mentioned it; the speakers; and most of all the general public.
The speakers were: Dr. Illona Duffy; Madeline Speirs, INO; Janette Byrne, Patients Together; Joe Higgins, Socialist Party; James O'Reilly, Fine Gael; Caoimhghin O'Caolain, Sinn Fein.
Apologies were received from Bishop Jackson and Bishop Duffy. Bishop Duffy issued a statement as follows:
Statement from Bishop Joseph Duffy on Monaghan General Hospital and Health Provision into the future for the North East Region.
'I am aware of reports that Navan has been recommended as the preferred site for a New Central Hospital for the North East Region. I am also aware of reports that services continue to be transferred in the interim from Monaghan to Cavan and Drogheda. Decisions such as these are the responsibility of our Political and Civic Leaders and I have to respect that. But as Bishop of the Diocese of Clogher, I have a responsibility to listen to and to respond to the concerns of the people I serve. In matters of local health service provision, these concerns have in recent years been strongly articulated
by consultants and general practitioners working in this area and by groups such as the Hospital Alliance, speaking for individuals and families who have been affected
by changes made and more proposed.
To-day, I publicly request Political Leaders and all those who have responsibility for making decisions on health provision, which will affect generations into the future, to listen carefully to the concems expressed. In planning for the future, it is important that we do not lose the strengths of the past and the present. If centralisation is required for the sake of efficiency, patient safety and necessary economy, it should be able to co-exist with appropriate local provision. It seems to me that consultation with local practitioners and representatives is essential to ensure the devising of health provision which is appropriate to needs and has the confidence of local people.
The people of Monaghan have an appreciative identity with and loyalty to their hospital, solidly based on years of excellent care which they received there. I can personally identify with this and with the concerns and fears for the future which have occasioned to-day's rally. There is still time to acknowledge and address these concerns. If they are taken on board, addressed and sifted with all other points of reference which have to be considered, they can become a positive force in achieving
what everyone hopes for - the best possible affordable healthcare for all the people of the North East Region'.
We too request that Brian Cowan listens to the Bishop and sits down with us to work out a policy for health care in Monaghan that will provide for the needs of the people depending on it. We have requested a meeting with Minister Harney but it will never happen - however more on that anon.Back to Top | | Were we animals issued 11-May-2008 | reply to | We are expected at accept that we will be transported all over the place when we are sick. In our emergencies we are expected to accept that we will be taken over terrible roads to Cavan or Drogheda. When we need specialist treatment we will have to be transported to Dublin or Navan. Daily the fleet of ambulances transport seriously ill patients up and down the N2 from Letterkenny and Monaghan to Dublin hospitals. Frost, snow, fog, sweltering heat - it matters not to bureaucrats sitting in a air-conditioned offices close to a hospital what impact this travel will have on these poor patients as long as the books balance at the end of the year and they have enough money to pay their own expenses and christmas dinner in some top hotel and add the big bonus to their bank accounts.
However we looked at the rules and regulations enforced by the Department of Agriculture for the transport of animals and we were amazed. As a matter of fact we would like to change our notation to 'animal' in order to get better treatment from our Government and bureaucrats.
The rules state that it is illegal for anyone to cause or permit the transport of animals unloess they are fit for the intended journey. They can be unfit if the animal is new-born, aged, diseased, ill, injured or fatigued or has given birth within the preceding 48 hours or likely to give birth during transport. We would be much better off if we were animals.Back to Top | | Desperation issued 09-May-2008 | reply to | Some desperation seems to be setting in among authorities as they fear that they will not close Monaghan. We have gathered some information, which would indicate a push to get the job done prior to the 'Detailed Plan' date of November 2008. We guess there will be nice rewards for those who assist in 'getting Monaghan sorted' and personal conscience will have little to do with it. Wheeling and dealing has no place in the provision of health care but if Monaghan is not sorted then the rest of the country will also be hard to overcome.
With this is mind we can look forward to steps being taken in the very near future to ensure victory. The easiest way to make Monaghan unviable is to remove the permanent Anaesthetic staff. Now that is easy to achieve by not renewing the contracts for those in place and give the jobs to others who will be based in Cavan. But then we do not have to tell them how to do their jobs. They have the experience and we will get no bonuses for our help. The truth will come out eventually and we have recorded the happennings and they will make interesting reading when published. Many will be shocked to hear the truth.Back to Top | | Hospitals on Government hit list named ahead of Monaghan rally issued 08-May-2008 | reply to | Community groups have named hospitals on the Government's hit list ahead of a major rally in Monaghan on Saturday, May 10th. Monaghan
Community Alliance Chairperson Peadar McMahon says if Monaghan loses its hospital, other hospital closures will follow 'as night follows day'. 'As OECD confirmed last week, the North East is the pilot for the Government's National Hospital Plan––the elimination of over 40 acute inpatient facilities.
'This is a dummy run for public hospital closures in the rest of the country.' 'If the HSE succeeds in closing Monaghan General Hospital to
in-patients, they will press on, without delay, to terminate over 40 other public inpatient hospitals. Many, like those in Naas, Navan, Nenagh, Croom, Cashel and Clonmel are already marked DNR –– do not resuscitate.'
Services are being cut in Monaghan General Hospital against the background of appalling shortfalls in primary care in the region and of deepening cuts to hospital services', he continued. 'Despite the dearth of GPs, despite the overcrowding in Cavan and Drogheda Hospitals, the HSE steamrolls on, in the teeth of medical opposition, oblivious to patient safety.'
Marie O'Connor PRO of the Health Services Action Group says these hospital closures will lead to an American-style health system 'where access to medical treatment, including hospital emergency care, depends on ability to pay'. 'Small private hospitals are being given incentives to trade in patients while public hospitals of a similar size are being forced to shut their doors.'
'But replacing publicly-funded services with pay-at-reception private clinics will be a catastrophe', she warned, 'not only for the less well off, but for those who hold private health insurance.'
The Government, she says, seems determined to 'replicate the discredited health policies of the British Labour Party that have destroyed the NHS in England'. 'In both countries, patients are being turned into disease entities so that private firms can turn a profit.'
Confirmed speakers at the Monaghan rally include Joe Higgins of the
Campaign for a Real Public Health Service, former MEP Patricia
McKenna, Fine Gael Health Spokesperson, Dr James O'Reilly, Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson and local TD, Caoimhghín O'Caoláin, Cllr Veronica Cawley, representing the Labour Party, and DR. Illona Duffy GP and member of the Monaghan Community Alliance.
An OECD report published last week confirmed Government plans to 'modernise' the health services will be implemented over the next six years. This is a plan that, according to a report on bed capacity done by PA Consulting for the HSE, will take nearly 5 000 public patient beds out of the system. Ireland already has one of the lowest levels of hospital beds per head of population in the European Union.
The following general acute public hospitals are due to close as inpatient facilities, if the Hanly/Teamwork recommendations are implemented in full:
1 Our Lady's, Navan, Co Kildare
2 St Columcille's, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin
3 Naas General, Co Kildare
4 St Michael's, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
5 Mullingar General, Co Offaly
6 Portlaoise General, Co Laois
7 Ennis General, Co Clare
8 Nenagh General, Co Tipperary
9 Our Lady's, Cashel, Co Tippperary
10 St Joseph's, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
11 St John's, Limerick
12 Cavan General
13 Louth General, Dundalk
14 Monaghan General
15 Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda
16 Letterkenny General, Co Donegal*
17 St Luke's, Kilkenny
18 Wexford General
19 Bantry General, Co Cork
20 Mallow General, Co Cork
21 Mercy University, Cork
22 Kerry General, Tralee*
23 St. Finbarr's, Cork
24 South Infirmary/Victoria, Cork
25 Merlin Park Galway
26 Mayo General, Castlebar*
27 Portiuncula, Ballinasloe, Co Galway
28 Roscommon General
The following single specialty acute public hospitals are also set to close as inpatient facilities, if the Hanly/Teamwork recommendations are implemented in full:
1 St Luke's, Dublin
2 Coombe Women's, Dublin
3 Clontarf Orthopaedic, Dublin
4 National Maternity, Holles St, Dublin**
5 National Rehabilitation, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
6 Our Lady's Children's, Crumlin, Dublin
7 Peamount, Newcastle, Co Dublin
8 Rotunda, Dublin
9 Royal Victoria Eye and Ear, Dublin
10 St Mary's, Baldoyle Co Dublin
11 St Mary's Orthopaedic, Cappagh Dublin
12 Temple St Children's, Dublin
13 St Nessan's Orthopaedic, Croom, Co Limerick
14 St Munchin's Maternity, Limerick
15 Our Lady's, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim
16 Orthopaedic, Kilcreene, Co Kilkenny
17 St Mary's Orthopaedic, Gurranebraher, CorkBack to Top | | Another Speaker issued 07-May-2008 | reply to | | All is nowe in place for the March on Saturday but we can just hope that there will be a good turn-out. This will be the first major health protest since Brian Cowen took up office and we hope to impress upon him that he must deal with us and the best way is to sit down and listen. We have one extra speaker for Saturday and she is Veronica Cawley, who is representing the Labour Party. Veronica is involved in the campaign in Sligo to retain Cancer services there and will understand where we are coming from. Back to Top | | 'Go' for Protest.. issued 03-May-2008 | reply to | It is 'Go' for the protest on Saturday, May 10th at 3 pm. Assembly Point is on the Hospital Hill, with the front of the March at the Hospital Gates and then spreading down the Hill towards the Markethouse. A few specific items will lead the March and it will make its way via North Road to the Diamond and then to Church Square for some speeches. Confirmed at this stage are: Dr. James O'Reilly, TD. Fine Gael; Caoimhghin O'Caolain, TD. Sinn Fein; Patricia McKenna, Greens; Joe Higgins, Socialist Party; and Dr. Illona Duffy, Monaghan Alliance. There has been no confirmation from the Labour Party but they were hoping to have a speaker there. Dr. Rory O'Hanlon has other commitments and Deputy Margaret Conlon has a family commitment and neither can attend.
There is still no reply in relation to our request for a meeting with the Minister, but then she is likely waiting to get re-appointed before she calls us in. Well we are prepared to wait another few days but then we go back.Back to Top | | Caoimhghin In The Dail. issued 02-May-2008 | reply to | Caoimhghin O'Caolain keeps Monaghan General Hospital and our health services in general to the fore in the Dail. As spokseperson on health for Sinn Fein he uses every opportunity to raise the issues.
This past week he asked a number of questions regarding the OECD Report and the Transformation Programme document that came to light last week. I would like to take parts of Mary Harney's reply and comment on those, though the entire tone of her replies is one of arrogance and lacking in sensitivity.
The Minister says: 'The first step in the development of a fully integrated regional health service is to ensure that the people of the North East have local access to both routine planned care and immediate life saving emergency care. Over the next few years, in preparation for all acute emergency in-patient care and complex planned care being provided at a regional centre, the existing five hospitals will continue to improve services by further merger of their acute care specialties'. We must have local access to routine planned and immediate life saving emergency care but what she means is that we will get that in the back of an ambulance or in the home because we will not be admitted to hospital, at least our local hospital. Then all acute care will be improved by merger. We know what that means - take it out of Monaghan and cram it into Cavan or Drogheda.
When asked about the Transformation Programme she said: 'The Programme involves widespread and fundamental change and is designed to build a health system that is in line with the model of care emerging internationally' So it is a model of care 'emerging' internationally. We thought it was best practice - that it had been tried and tested elsewhere and would, without doubt, provide a world class service. So it has not really been tested and we are guinea pigs for a programme that may not work - we know it will not work. However it is not the same as that emerging internationally because they all make sure that rural regions have the basic services in their local hospital - they do not abandon large chunks of the population to the risk associated with distance to hospital treatment as she is doing.
Another part of her statement: 'The Teamwork Report, which has helped to inform the approach being taken by the HSE in relation to the Transformation Programme, clearly indicated that the current service configuration in the region is unsustainable'. Why not when it was looking at a hospital in Monaghan that had been ravaged and torn apart by Health Boards and Governments over the previous two decades. Of course Monaghan was not sustainable because it had been starved of resources in order to make it look unworkable and unsafe. Then of course they are coming from an economic viewpoint and not from patient safety and risk.
Looking at this statement: 'In progressing the various elements of the Programme the HSE has repeatedly emphasised its commitment that existing services in the region will remain in place until they are replaced with higher quality, safer or more appropriate services' - how can we believe them. They have removed maternity, pediatrics and surgery but let no one claim that we have a better services in these - certainly not as the reports we get every week tell us. Anyhow we want to know what audit, criteria or assessment will be used to show that we will have better services. Why do they not do that first and then convince us that we will get a better service when we see the results.
'In the case of Monaghan General Hospital the HSE envisages that the future role of the hospital will be to provide a range of acute services within a clinical network' - who is she trying to fool. She should know by now that we are no fools and have intelligence - Monaghan will not, according to the plan, provide any acute services as she says. Monaghan will only be used to provide 26 step down beds for the acute services in Cavan and Drogheda. While there are no basic services in Monaghan we will not accept the plan.
Of course the Minister had to get her little 'rub' in referring to the number of admissions and length of stay for patients in Monaghan. Yes - that was an excellent service and had great outcomes until people like her meddled and caused problems.
Caoimhghin must have great patience to sit opposite and listen to waffle and mis-information and pedantics with a wicked use of the English language.Back to Top | | Protest March issued 30-Apr-2008 | reply to | Plans for the Protest March from the Hospital gates at 3pm to the Courthouse Square are well advanced at this stage. The list of speakers should be finalised in the next couple of days. We expect quite a big crowd as people are becoming aware of the consequences.
Why should you attend?
1. The latest document to come into the public domain is a true record of the HSE intentions for Monaghan. It is a ‘work in progress’ (it is being implemented as we speak) and this has been notified to members of staff and is confirmed in the OECD Report.
2. Monaghan General Hospital will lose all acute in-patient services and all emergency services before November 2008.
3. What we are being offered is not a better service. We demand that they produce an audit of the new services to show that they are better than the audit carried out in Monaghan in 2006/2007. There is no money at the moment to invest in improved and expanded facilities in Cavan and Drogheda to cater for the extra workload or to put in place the promised Primary Care teams and Community Care packages. The consequences of closing these services in Monaghan are so serious that it is frightening to contemplate the outcomes.
4. People will die on the way to Cavan or Drogheda and the HSE will tell us that ‘the patient would not have survived anyhow’ or that ‘they cannot comment on individual cases’. That is no comfort for families, whose loved one died prematurely in an ambulance on the roadside.
5. The added cost and inconvenience placed on families to access services in a distant hospital will add great hardship to their lives and will impact on the patients. The old, the young and the poor will suffer the most.
6. Everyone has a duty of care to themselves, to their own families and to their childrens’ children to ensure that they can access health services when and where they need them.
7. Other countries have implemented methods of providing the basic services to the rural populations in a viable and safe manner. All we ask is that we are treated equally.
We would ask you to March with us on May 10th at 3 pm. and to urge your friends to be there. This policy madness must be changed NOW, before it is too late, and YOU can help to achieve that.Back to Top | | Update issued 25-Apr-2008 | reply to | Just a little run down on some of the happenings this past week.
At our meeting on Wednesday night all members reported a very positive response from the public for the Hospital March on May 10th. The truth seems to be more obvious now to more people and they are appalled. Lets hope that translates into attendance at the March.
The two Peadars went to the Department of Health buildings in Dublin on Thursday and demanded a meeting with top authority to discuss the recent 'detailed plan' for Monaghan. Of course the Minister was nowhere to be seen and our representatives were aked to send in an email requesting the meeting. Now we have lost count of the requests already sent in but 'her diary was always too full'. We will wait for a number of days and if the meeting has not been arranged by then the two Peadars will return to Hawkins House and will be more difficult to remove. This time they accepted the word of the Secretary and showed that they were willing to compromise and be reasonable. It is now the turn of the Minister to act likewise.
The committee expressed disappointment that the media seemed to shy away from challenging the evidence for centralisation. Of course there is no evidence as proper research has never been done and many experts have pointed this out but still, not even one journalist will take it on. Are they afraid of the vested interests or what?
Our local representative has really annoyed members of the Alliance with the statement issued in relation to the latest document - 'the Detailed Plan for Monaghan'. We have not seen the text itself but it is reported that she claimed that this was only a discussion document (HSE claimed similar) yet for anyone who is aware of what is happening in the hospital at the moment would know that it is well past a discussion document. Recently she announced that she had a problem with the HSE and now she accepts this at face value. She actually is reported as saying that we are scaremongering - how dare she. There will be another challenge to her in the coming week. As well there is a motion down for next Tuesday night's meeting - 'That the Alliance calls on Margaret Conlon to resign her seat in Dail Eireann due to the further downgrading planned for Monaghan General Hospital'.If the motion is passed she should be willing to do this for those she represents as well as for personal reasons.
We have received advice that if services are removed to Cavan then any person from Monaghan, who has to travel to Cavan for a service that was previously available in Monaghan, can claim costs and expenses from the HSE. These include Travel costs and loss of earnings for the extra time needed away from the job. Members of the family will also be able to do likewise if they have to visit a sick family relative. This could prove very expensive indeed for the HSE, if it were to happen. Of course there will be many other claims against the HSE if services are moved.Back to Top |
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