This article is from page 17 of the 2006-04-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
MEMBERS of Ennis General Hospital Development Committee have said they are “disheartened” but determined to fight on, following a week of confusion about the future of the accident and emergency service at the hospital.
The lobby group had just begun celebrating the arrival of a letter, which confirmed the future of 24 hour A and E at the county’s hospital, when a phone call said it had all been a mistake.
The letter from a HSE official stated “that a 24 hour A and E service will continue to operate at Ennis General Hospital. This service was recently enhanced by the recruitment of emergency care physicians.”
Just minutes after receiving the letter, the chairman of the hospital group Peadar McNamara received a phone call from a HSE official explaining that the letter was sent by mistake.
Days later, the hospital committee received a similar letter, with the same date – March 29.
Signed by the office manager for the National Hospitals Office, the significant opening paragraph confirming the future of A & E was omitted.
The new letter merely pointed to the on-going independent review of all acute hospital services in the mid west, which was to be completed at the end of the year.
A spokesperson for the hospital committee said they were concerned that such a review was taking place without any consultation with the group.