Dáil debates
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Health Services.
12:00 pm
Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
As the Deputies will be aware, the Pathways unit has been playing a key role in providing an intensive rehabilitation service to patients from counties Cavan and Monaghan who are recovering from an episode of acute illness such as stroke, amputation, a road traffic accident or acquired brain injury.
Under the new arrangements, Monaghan hospital will have a minor injuries unit. This unit will now treat adults and children over the age of five years who present with minor injuries between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week. These minor injury patients will receive the same service in Monaghan hospital as they do on the other sites with a targeted turnaround time of one to two hours. Day surgery, medical day services and X-ray diagnostics will remain at Monaghan hospital. Outpatient services in medical, surgical, ear nose and throat, diagnostic urology, paediatrics, obstetric and gynaecological specialties will also stay at the hospital. Furthermore, 26 rehabilitation and step-down beds will be retained in Monaghan.
My Department is informed by the HSE that it is committed to putting in place an appropriate computed tomography, CT, service at Monaghan hospital. Having carried out a detailed option appraisal, the HSE established that best value can be obtained by putting in an upgraded CT scanner rather than reusing the former Cavan hospital scanner, which is in storage at present.
Peter McMahon
Posted on 29 Jul 2009 6:45 pm (Report this comment)
The Minor Injuries Unit can treat 'cuts and grazes', 'bites and stings'. However you cannot go there with injuries sustained from a 'fall from any height', even, we presume, if those injuries are only grazes?!! You can go there with 'injuries to your nose' but not with 'facial injuries'. Obviously the nose is not located on the face for Monaghan people!! You cannot go there with 'breathing problems' - the alternative is to remain where you are for 45 minutes until an ambulance arrives. In other words - they will treat those injuries that parents have treated at home for years and things that going to your local pharmacy could solve. Guess how long the Minor Injuries Unit will remain operational?
As for the out-patients clinics - they will come to an end very soon as doctors will refuse to travel to Monaghan due to weather conditions or 'being too busy in Cavan'.
The CT Scanner is another red-herring - it can only be used when the necessary staff come across from Cavan.