The people of Monaghan were promised ‘safer and better services’ to replace the excellent
services we had in Monaghan. Monaghan would be enhanced, expanded, become a very
busy place, be a huge diagnostic centre, and the emergencies would be taken to Cavan
and Drogheda, where better services and the most appropriate services would be available.
Reality: Monaghan has not been enhanced, expanded, nor is it the huge diagnostic
centre promised. Instead the number of clinics has been reduced, there is a very
real threat that the Minor Injuries Unit will be reduced in hours (though they seem
to be holding back for the moment on that one, likely until a Bank Holiday weekend,
as that is when a lot of changes take place) and also a real threat that more beds
will be closed.
Result – Broken promises.
Reality: Emergencies are being taken to Cavan and Drogheda but the Advanced Paramedic
is not the First Responder in fact and in some cases does not respond at all. Ambulances
still take a long time to arrive at the patient and the delay in getting to the ‘better
services’ is a greater risk for patients. However the greatest risk of all is when
the patient arrives at the ‘better services’ and has to lie on a trolley for hours
(29 patients on trolleys in Cavan and 33 in Drogheda today, Tuesday Sept 6th). It
has been stated that between 350 and 400 patients per year in Ireland die because
of the delays and overcrowding in A & Es. Is this the ‘most appropriate treatment’
and ‘better service’?
Result – Broken promises.
Reality: Minister Harney was blamed on numerous occasions for being out of the country
when a health crisis arose. We have a very big health crisis in the North East at
the moment and the new Minister is on a mission to China, where it is said he is
trying to attract acupuncturists to Ireland. It is not acupuncturists we need. Our
TDs have been trying to contact him for three weeks now in relation to the problems
for Monaghan patients and they cannot get near him.
Result – Broken promises.
Reality: Minister Reilly promised that he would reform the dysfunctional HSE; that
he would solve the crisis in A & Es; that he would ensure hospitals like Monaghan
were used to their potential; that we would have ‘better services’; and a long list
of other promises but none of these has been sorted to date – in fact things are
getting worse.
Result – Broken promises.
Reality: Our two Fine Gael TDs were invited to meet us urgently due to the threat
of reduced hours in our Minor Injuries Unit. One attended while the other was on
holiday though he did send a letter to the Minister before he left. We invited all
Fine Gael councillors to an urgent meeting giving one weeks notice but only 4 from
a total of 18 turned up. Two of those absent sent an apology directly to us prior
to the meeting. Surely we would expect that our Government councillors would take
the threat to our Injuries Unit more seriously than that? Some of them were very
vocal when not in power. Where are their demands now that they are in power? Are
they prepared to ‘walk as well as talk’?
And let’s not forget those who were in power when our services were taken away. They
also made the promises but seem to have walked away from the mess they left behind.
Result – Broken promises.
Reality: Monaghan General Hospital is on its way to complete closure and that would
have a major impact on the county. Sporting fixtures, festivals, social events, Schools,
business and industry, inward investment, and anything that attracts people to the
county are all threatened if we lose any more services from the hospital. The alternative
will be more inconvenient, cause more suffering and trauma, will be more expensive
and, for some, will cost lives. Why are the people involved in these so silent? Every
man and woman has a responsibility in this regard.
Result - ????
