Meeting with Minister Dempsey

8th October 2010, Council Chamber

An Leas - Cathaoirleach, Councillor Shane Cassells, presided.

Members Present:

Councillors: Francis Deane, Jimmy Fegan, , Oliver Fox, Wayne Harding, Suzanne Jamal, Nick Killian, Tracy McElhinney, Jenny McHugh, Maria Murphy, Seamus O’Neill.

Officials in Attendance:Olive Falsey, Administrative Officer

Apologies:

Councillors: Joseph Bonner,Ray Butler, Sirena Campbell, Willie Carey, Eugene Cassidy, Shane Cassells, Jimmy Cudden, Regina Doherty, John V Farrelly,Brian Fitzgerald, Jim Holloway, Eoin Holmes,Noel Leonard,Niamh McGowan,Joe Reilly,Tommy Reilly, Catherine Yore.

  1. Meeting to give Minister Noel Dempsey an opportunity to hear the views of the Members of MeathCounty Council on the decision to cease emergency and acute services at NavanHospital.

Leas Cathaoirleach Shane Cassells opened the meeting, welcomed Minister Dempsey and thanked him for his speedy response to the Members’ request for a meeting. He outlined the concerns expressed by the Members at the monthly meeting of the Council on 4th October regarding the current situation at NavanHospital, particularly the decision to cease emergency and acute services.

Following the Leas Cathaoirleach’s introductory remarks, the Members were given the opportunity to express their views to the Minister. The following is a summary of the issues raised:

  • There is anger and frustration at the snap decision and the manner in which hospital staff were informed of the closure.
  • The decision was made without undertaking an internal investigation. Conducting an investigation when the decision is made does not make sense.
  • It is vital that elective surgery is retained as medical services will be affected,if removed.
  • Drogheda and/or other hospitals do not have capacity for the 20,000 + patients.
  • There seems to be no accountability for decisions made by HSE Managers.
  • There is no report to suggest that standards are lower than anywhere else in the country.
  • There is great fear among the people throughout the County that the hospital will eventually close, and arguments about clusters mean nothing to the sick.
  • Where does the regional hospital fit into this scenario? Provisions should be in place before services are taken away.
  • HSE needs to clarify all the issues and provide answers especially with regard to the current investigation.Will the outcome of the investigation be made public? Will all the other reports be made public?
  • Comparison made with the closure of services at MonaghanHospital.
  • This issue should be about people not economics. Is it a financial decision?
  • Staff must be considered and the risk of job losses.

Minister Dempsey, in reply, made the following points:

  • He assured the Members that he shared their concerns regarding the health services in the County and outlined that his aim was that the people of Co. Meath would have the best services and the best available outcome.
  • He explained that the region has 5 hospitals but,unlike other regions, has no regional hospital. He stressed that the acceptance of, and support for, a regional hospital that would provide a centre of excellence for the people of Meath was there even before the site selection process. To secure Navan as the location was a very positive outcome. There is still a commitment to providing a regional hospital but no timeframe can be agreed in the current climate. However, the Minister advised that heis continuing to work on exploring innovative ways to progress the project.

He explained that the steps in the process involved going from 5 hospitals to 2 and then to 1 regional centre of excellence.

  • He suggested that the Council should consider seeking a briefing from the HSE and also that the Council must consider if it still wants to support ‘a centre of excellence’.
  • The Minister acknowledged that there were problems with the plan to relocated acute surgery to Drogheda particularly the lack of communication and consultation, the suddenness of the decision and the changing timelines. He acknowledged that this approach raises fears, creates uncertainty and is not a productive exercise.
  • Referring to the recent meeting between the 6 Meath TD’s and the HSE, he outlined the robust and frank nature of the talks and how the T.D.’s, both individually and collectively, expressed dissatisfaction with the manner of the announcement and the way people were informed.
  • He informed the Members that the HSE is reluctant to give information until the proper procedures are completed. There are legal difficulties preventing full disclosure of information to the public. There are reports completed some of which are not in the public domain. When these reports are made public, they will reveal important information. The HSE is committed to keeping Navan hospital open, implementing the Teamwork Report and keeping patients safe.
  • Minister Dempsey also referred to the meeting with consultants and staff at the hospital. The main issues raised were:
  • Lack of consultation and timely information
  • Dissatisfaction with cluster approach
  • How the decisions were made to select cases when there was no consultation with relevant consultants.
  • The consultants accept the Teamwork Report and the need for transformation but the necessary resources must be in place.

In conclusion, the Minister thanked the Members for their views, informed that a further meeting with the HSE will take place in the coming weeks at which he will give a brief of the meeting with the Members. He also undertook to keep the Council briefed on an ongoing basis.

The Leas Cathaoirleach thanked Minister Dempsey for giving his time and requested that he continue the pursuit of the regional hospital.

This concluded the business of the meeting.

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Meath County Council, County Hall, Railway Street, Navan, County Meath

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