New regional hospital to be built in north-east
The Health Service Executive has announced plans to build a new regional hospital in the north-east as part of a major restructuring of health services in the region.
The restructuring is recommended in a report published today by an independent review group set up following the death of a patient at Monaghan General Hospital last October.
Seventy-five-year-old Patrick Walsh needed urgent surgery on a bleeding ulcer, but the operation could not be carried out in Monaghan because surgeons there are not permitted to do emergency procedures.
Today's report from the review group says major restructuring is needed as Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath are not being well served by the current system.
It raises concerns about patient safety due to the fact that varying services are currently spread across the five hospitals in the region.
The main recommendation in the report is the building of a new regional hospital, something that is likely to raise concerns about the downgrading of existing facilities.
The HSE is establishing a steering group to decide on a location for the hospital.
Asked about the matter this morning, the Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney said she believed change was urgently needed.
“Clearly, there have been issues identified in the north-east that are extraordinarily worrying from the point of view of patients,” she said.
“I am very concerned that there are practices in place in some hospitals that are endangering patient’s lives and therefore the HSE has to act promptly and swiftly.”
