Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

In the eyes of people living in County Louth, particularly in Dundalk, the closure of the emergency department in Louth County Hospital, Dundalk will have adverse effects. This decision will increase their worries and concerns, especially regarding the 24,000 people per annum admitted to the emergency department in Dundalk who must now go to Drogheda. I understand half of the hospital's 48,000 admissions will now go to Drogheda. The real concern is for those who might have a heart attack and be in extremis. The care they get at present will be physically taken from them in terms of the hospital environment of Dundalk. How can this be better for them? The care they get in Louth County Hospital will no longer be available to them. They are worried because of the time it will take to reach the hospital in Dundalk and thence to Drogheda. People who live in Carlingford or Omeath, for example, live approximately 61 km from Drogheda. On average it takes up to an hour to get to Drogheda. One may have a serious illness, specifically requiring immediate and urgent attention, and may suffer trauma, especially if a heart attack or a stroke are in question.

I understand the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, is to add an extra ambulance in the area. There will be more ambulances to bring people to Drogheda but those ambulances will have to travel longer distances. The concern is that a greater specialty would be available in Dundalk, greater than what the Minister proposes. I ask her to look at this issue again. I understand there can be specially trained paramedics who could adminster on-site specialist care in Dundalk in extreme cases. That is the real worry for people. Everybody accepts our hospitals have to change and that if one wants to opt into a service and is not a trauma or urgent medical case, it is possible to travel to a different place. However the time concern in this instance is a great worry to people and the fact that people may die on that journey is of concern.

This point was made by 24 doctors who signed a letter in a recent edition of the Dundalk Argus. They stated, "We, as general practitioners and gatekeepers of the health services in the Dundalk area, were ignored in any decision making process". They attended two meetings with their representative and were informed of the intended transformation process. They further stated:

The decision to remove accident and emergency services and acute hospital care was a fait accompli. Our opinion was not considered. We had no influence on the decision making process. The removal of the A & E services and acute medical care will result in increased hardship to the people of north Louth.

Twenty-four local general practitioners signed that letter, expressing professional and medical concern.

Ultimately, we believe Drogheda will struggle to cope with the extra 24,000 patients per annum who will come into the emergency department, notwithstanding the fact that a brand new department opened only last week. The closure of the Louth County emergency department will lead to massive increased pressure on the already strained Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital which has suffered badly from the closure of services in surrounding areas. This has placed increased pressure on the hospital but resources have not been increased in proportion, especially in terms of bed capacity.

People worry about the closure of health services in Dundalk without adequate alternatives being in place. Everybody accepts things must change but now there is a greater worry that people who previously would have been seen in Dundalk by properly trained and skilled emergency doctors and technicians will no longer have that service in place and must travel to Drogheda to get it. I ask the Minister what are the extra reassurances, if any, she can provide at this stage. What especially trained ambulance personnel can she place in situ in Dundalk? I understand that one of the ambulances the Minister proposes to add to the mix will be based in Carrickmacross which is a significant distance away. I reiterate the concerns of people living in north County Louth, especially where there is a topography of mountainous terrain. There is one main road but many of the by-roads are traditional country roads on which it is impossible to make good time. People believe that by the time the seriously ill get to Dundalk they may well have passed on. That is the real worry for people. I ask the Minister to address those issues.

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