GP LETTERS:THERE ARE no longer any unopened GP referral letters at Tallaght hospital, according to Minister for Health Mary Harney, who said it was completely unacceptable that letters had remained unopened in the past.
In a statement last night, the Minister, who is on a two-week official visit to New Zealand, said that while there were unopened letters in the past, the hospital’s chief executive designate Prof Kevin Conlon and his staff had been doing everything possible to ensure all referrals were being processed appropriately.
Ms Harney last night rejected calls from the Opposition for her resignation, while also dismissing suggestions that she should return home early from New Zealand to deal with the controversy.
Fianna Fáil TD Mary O’Rourke said Ms Harney should cut short her trip to New Zealand, telling The Last Word on Today FM: “She should come back early, there’s no doubt about that.”
However a spokesman for the Minister said last night there was no question of her returning home early from her visit which involved an important healthcare component as well as the St Patrick’s Day events. He added that she had been actively involved in the response to events at Tallaght.
In her statement earlier, Ms Harney said: “There are now no unopened letters. The HSE, Tallaght hospital and the Department of Health and Children have agreed to work together to ensure that any patient whose letter may have been unopened will be provided with an appropriate service fully in accordance with their clinical priority.”
The central, overriding priority in all aspects of healthcare, in every hospital, at every meeting and in every last detail of administration, was the interest of patients.
“For that reason the review of unread X-rays is being given top priority by the hospital. The investigation of circumstances that gave rise to this situation will be fully addressed through the independent review announced by the HSE,” she said.
“Additional radiology consultants are working alongside the permanent staff of the hospital to clear the backlog. I have been assured that there is no question of the reading of X-rays being held up now for want of qualified clinicians to read them.
“The review will be completed in approximately 10 weeks. During the review, any patient who needs any further service will be contacted immediately and any necessary services will be provided to them. I am advised that the level of risk for remaining cases to be reviewed is low.”
Ms Harney said in certain circumstances it may be appropriate for certain X-rays to be read by the attending clinician without the need for follow-up reporting by a radiologist and to reflect this, formal clinical protocols at a national level were being developed by the HSE.
In the Dáil yesterday, Opposition parties committed themselves to putting down a motion of no confidence in Ms Harney if she is reappointed as Minister for Health by the Taoiseach in the reshuffle.
Describing the situation at Tallaght hospital as “the latest catastrophe” to have befallen the health service, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny pointed to the fact that Ms Harney would not return from New Zealand until March 22nd.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore supported Mr Kenny and asked why the Minister had gone on such a long trip.
“We now have a Minister, however, who is on a visit to New Zealand for two weeks on an itinerary that, according to the newspapers today, reads more like the Lord of the Rings trail than it does like a State visit; the only thing missing is dinner hosted by Bilbo Baggins.
“Meanwhile, the health service for which she is responsible is falling apart.”