Political spat over hospital

CONCERNS over the future of
emergency services at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown have
sparked a bitter spat between two Northside politicians.

Minister for Transport Leo
Varadkar (FG) has accused Fingal councillor Ruth Coppinger (SP) of engaging in

“the politics of fear

? after she reported that the HSE was considering
downgrading the hospital’s 24 hour emergency department to a daytime-only
service.

But the Socialist Party
representative has challenged Minister Varadkar to make a definitive statement
in the Dáil that he will not allow A&E services to be cut at Connolly
Hospital.

The Health Service
Executive’s failure to clarify its exact plans has added fuel to the fire, as
both politicians claim to have the inside story of what lies ahead for Connolly
Hospital.

In a statement issued to
Northside People, a HSE Dublin North East spokesperson said:

“There is no plan
to change the role and function of the Emergency Department at Connolly
Hospital.

?

However, she did not rule
out scaling back opening hours at its A&E, admitting that management were

“examining all options

? to ensure they remain within budget by year end.

The statement added that HSE
Dublin North East

“must comply with its statutory obligations and remain within
its allocated budget

? but that

“every effort will be made to do that in a way
that has the least impact on patients and clients

?.

However, Cllr Coppinger
insists that the threat to emergency services is more immediate and tangible
than the HSE is admitting.

She claims to have received
confidential information that the executive is looking at the cost savings to
be gained from operating an 8am-8pm only service for Connolly Hospital.

“We’re not making this stuff
up; staff at the hospital have been contacting us to tell us what’s going on,

?
she claimed.

“Leading doctors were told
at a meeting just last Friday that management was looking at bringing in an
8am-8pm A&E this coming September or October.

?

Cllr Coppinger warned that
if A&E hours were restricted, the move would effectively downgrade the
entire hospital, as well as putting huge pressure on emergency services at the
Mater, Beaumont and other Dublin hospitals already under strain.

But Minister Leo Varadkar –
who is a TD for the area – criticised the Socialist Party for

“exploiting
concerns

?.

“Connolly Hospital, in line
with all hospitals, has been asked to balance its books by the end of the
year,

? he said.

“But the HSE has confirmed
there are no plans to change the role and function of the emergency hospital.

“This hasn’t stopped the
Socialist Party from running to the barricades and stoking up concerns for its
own political ends.

?

Minister Varadkar went on to
accuse Cllr Coppinger of indulging in

“cheap rhetoric

? and said he preferred to
take a

“more level-headed approach

?.

“I will be meeting with
Health Minister James Reilly to discuss the finances at Connolly Hospital and
to highlight the need to safeguard critical services,

? he added.

But Cllr Coppinger has
called on Minister Varadkar to go one step further and stake his political
career on defending A&E at Connolly Hospital.

“Minister Varadkar can bluff
all he likes, but he obviously hasn’t been to the hospital recently,

? she
stormed.

“Outpatients at Connolly
Hospital has been closed for weeks; there are wards closed on every floor; and
the numbers allowed through casualty have been capped. Nursing levels have been
pared back and all locum recruitment banned by a formal instruction to hospital
management in a letter sent in July.

“Doctors have told us that
everything is moving in the direction of the HSE coming in in a few weeks’ time
and saying:

‘This is dangerous, there are not enough staff; we need to
downgrade the emergency department’,

? said Cllr Coppinger.

“Savage cuts have taken
place in Connolly Hospital’s budgets in recent years. This is in the context of
a greatly-increased population in greater Blanchardstown and the wider
catchment area. Nothing more can be skimmed.

“If Minister Varadkar
could come out and reassure us that emergency services will be maintained, we
would be delighted. But after what happened at Roscommon, no-one can trust this
Government to defend their hospitals.

?