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Galway Advertiser 2008/GA_2008_05_01/GA_0105_E1_004.pdf
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www.galwayadvertiser.ie
May 1 2008
Lunchtime protest at hospital to highlight dismantling of health service
BY MARY O'CONNOR The lunchtime protest outside University Hospital Galway today (Thursday) will hammer home a message to the Minister for Health and the Government that hospital staff and the public will not stand by and watch the dismantling of the public health service. That's according to Helen Murphy, the UHG nurses' spokesperson on SIPTU's national executive council. She is appealing to the public to support the event, which is being organised by the Council of Trade Unions and takes place from 1pm to 2pm. The aim of the demonstration is to defend the public health service and to take a stand against hospital closures UHG management are examining proposals for a widespread scale down of hospital services during August at UHG - says Ms Murphy. "As well as hospital employees we are hoping for big support from the public for the lunchtime demonstration. It's the public health service we are trying to defend, it is gradually being eroded away." She says her union is seeking a meeting with management to establish the extent of the service closures planned for August. "Other summers areas would close historically for Race Week, usually outpatients and some five day services. It would appear - but we don't know yet - the extent of the closures would be much more widespread this year." These would make a bad situation "very much worse", she maintains. "It would impact hugely on the A&E department. If people can't get in for procedures they may end up as emergencies. If diagnostic tests would have to be put back, such as a colonscopy, people could end up in A&E. "Another major concern is this is all part of the employment control framework. Local management do not have the authority to bring in workers to cover annual leave, they will have to close down these areas." Noreen Muldoon, the Irish Nurses' Organisation's industrial relations officer in the west, says "things are very, very bad" in the health service right now. "When staff are out sick or are on maternity or parental leave they are not replaced. Yet the same number of patients are coming in. It is so important when you are looking after patients that you have a full complement of staff." She stressed the protest was not against UHG but the HSE nationally. Health service cutbacks will affect not just UHG but Merlin Park Hospital and the public health service in the community, she says. Ms Muldoon hopes the protest will highlight the crisis in the health service and create solidarity among unions, the public and patients. "We do care even if we have a public health service that is financially driven. We care about the patients in bed who are there through no fault of their own. Once a patient is in hospital the care they get is second to none. Sometimes the difficulty is in enabling the patient to get in." She says hospital managament are looking at some closures during August but she believes these will not be as extensive as predicted in the media. "I've contacted management again. As far as we are concerned there is no question UHG will almost shut down [during August]. August is the busiest month as regards visitors to Galway. Management are looking at some closures, ie, one theatre in Merlin Park and possibly other areas in UHG that would normally close during Race Week. Whether they will extend these closures further is not known. But I don't think the extent of it will be anything like what was reported in the press last week." She wants the lunchtime demonstration at UHG to send a clear message to the HSE and the Government to make adequate funding available to enable a first class health service to be provided. "Currently that's not happening. There are cutbacks all over the place. People deserve a first class service when they are ill." A spokesperson for the HSE West says every year UHG scales back elective procedures over a number of weeks in the summer, generally a time of reduced activity in the hospital. "This does not impact on emergency or urgent admissions or key specialties, for example, cancer specialties. This allows essential maintenance works to be carried out while the hospital is less busy and also means that we can manage the service during what is a peak holiday time. No decision has been made yet in relation to these plans for this year."
Big task, little resources, asked to work miracles to help them survive -- PD leader Ciaran Cannon must have been wondering what else he has in common with new Galway United boss Jeff Kenna when he attended United's 3-2 home loss at Terryland on Friday. He is pictured here with his wife Niamh and their son.