THE ROSCOMMON Hospital Action Committee has welcomed a statement by local GPs stating they will not co-operate with Health Service Executive proposals to operate an urgent care centre at night in place of the current accident and emergency department.
John McDermott, head of the action group, said he was “absolutely delighted” that GPs had, in a statement by Keadue-based GP Dr Martina Cogan, and carried by RTÉ last night that they did not intend to co-operate with the urgent care centre at Roscommon County Hospital.
The GPs cited fundamental health and safety issues and indicated that there was complete confusion over how the proposed system would work.
Mr McDermott said the centre would not adequately respond to the care needs of local people in the hospital’s catchment area.
Earlier yesterday Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted there would be no reversal of the decision to close the hospital’s emergency department despite protests.
However, Mr Kenny, speaking in Swinford, Co Mayo, indicated that resources were a factor in the Government’s decision.
“The challenging situation that we face economically filters down to the Department of Health, and the health situation [is] central to that,” Mr Kenny said.
GPs and campaigners in Roscommon say they are convinced it is a financial and political, rather than safety-associated decision, despite assertions to the contrary all week by Minister for Health James Reilly and the HSE. They have called on Dr Reilly and the HSE to “tell the truth”.
Mr Kenny was heckled by protesters when he arrived in Swinford - in his own constituency - to open a new extension to the local hospital.
However, he insisted: “What has been set out here by the Minister for Health in the context of change for Roscommon has now got to be delivered upon, and will be delivered upon.”
Supporters of the Roscommon Hospital Action Committee chanted “shame, shame, shame” as Mr Kenny’s Mercedes, with its windows rolled up, passed by.
Some carried placards inscribed with messages such as “RIP Fine Gael in Roscommon” and “Roscommon Hospital - Life or Death”.
“How dare Enda Kenny and James Reilly remove our acute services from Roscommon County Hospital”, Independent Roscommon councillor and mother of four Paula McNamara said.
One of the younger protesters, college student Claire Kerrane from Ballaghaderreen, who was sporting a Roscommon GAA jersey, said the decision would have “devastating implications” for healthcare in her county, and “lives would be lost as a result of it”.
Mr Kenny said the “changes” would be implemented from Monday, and the “transition period” of a month as referred to by Dr Reilly on Thursday would be implemented as well.
Under pressure from unions on Thursday, HSE West said an urgent-care centre, which would be doctor-led, would be open at Roscommon from 8am to 8pm from Monday.
But a temporary month-long service would operate from 8pm to 8am provided by non-consultant hospital doctors, supervised by a surgical consultant.
Protests were held yesterday at five bridges over the Shannon yesterday evening.
“We have no problem with residents travelling for specialist procedures, but to lose our emergency department is the equivalent of people living in Lucan being asked to travel to Ballinasloe in an accident, stroke or cardiac situation,” Mr McDermott said.
Flyers were handed out at the crossing points in the west and midlands on the N4, N5, and N63 routes to highlight the campaign’s point that motorists on these routes who might require emergency medical treatment would not have access to an emergency department within a critical one hour period.
More than 700 people participated in the protests at Tarmonbarry and Lanesborough, Co Longford; Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim; Athlone, Co Westmeath and Rooskey, Co Roscommon.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Dr Liam Twomey highlighted the shortage of paramedics in the ambulance service on RTÉ radio yesterday evening.
He said trained paramedics would be far more useful than GPs at the scene of an accident.