Gilmore: We have to put patient safety first
The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said changes will have to be made to how hospital services are delivered around the country.
It comes as the A&E department at Roscommon County hospital is re-branded as an 'urgent care unit'.
The decision was made after a HIQA report said it wasn't safe.
The Tánaiste said he believes changes will happen at other hospitals and patients must be "the priority".
Mr Gilmore said: "I think we have to put the safety of the patients and the quality of the care before anything else and I think there are going to have to be changes in the way that hospital services are delivered.
"I think that the HSE needs to discuss that with the public representatives for the areas that the hospitals serve and the GPS in that area and with the wider community."
