This article is from page 5 of the 2006-02-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
THE Ennis General Hospital Development Committee has expressed disappointment that the head of the Health Service Executive did not meet with him, when he visited Ennis last Friday.
The committee has failed to secure a meeting with Professor Brendan Drumm, despite numerous requests.
A committee spokesman said yesterday, “It is very disappointing. We have asked to meet with Prof Drumm ad nauseam and all approaches have been rejected. He could have granted us an audience while he was in Ennis.”
The HSE Chief was in the mid west on Thursday and Friday and visited acute and non-acute facilities in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. His arrival in Ennis was expected, but not publicised, for fear of protests by hospital groups. The HSE in the mid west also refused to disclose details of Prof Drumm’s visit.
Prof Drumm spent several hours in Ennis, including more than an hour and a half with management, consultants and staff at Ennis General Hospital. The health chief also visited St Joseph’s geriatric hospital and the Dulick Enterprise Centre on the Gort Road.
The Ennis General Hospital Development Committee spokesman said, “There is a democratic deficit within the HSE at the moment. In the past, councillors could ask questions as members of the health board. We do have apparent commitments from the Taoiseach and Táiniste with regard to the future of our hospital, however we have no such commitment from Prof Drumm. Until we have a commitment, we can only hope for the best but expect the worst.”
The General Manager of the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Ennis, Mr John Doyle, said after the visit, “We are delighted that Prof Drumm had a chance to visit Ennis General Hospital on what was more a fact-finding mission than anything else. He met staff and asked us about our concerns and issues and about ways to improve patient care from our perspective.”
Mr Doyle added that he and the staff at Ennis are looking forward to working with the HSE Chief in the future.
In a letter handed to the Taoiseach when he visited Ennis on Saturday, Ennis General Hospital Development Committee Chairman Mr Peadar McNamara said, “We understand that the Taoiseach and Tánaiste are committed to 24 hour Accident and Emergency services in Ennis however . . . We feel that Prof Drumm’s lack of response casts doubt on commitments made by the Government.”