Vigil at Monaghan hospital over cuts

A vigil has begun at Monaghan General Hospital in protest at the removal of acute and emergency care services.

Organised by the Co Monaghan Community Alliance, campaigners are opposed to the transfer of service to Cavan General Hospital, which they claim will not be able to cope with additional demand.

Under the new arrangements, all acute medical services will be moved to Cavan hospital. Monaghan will have a minor injury unit open for 12 hours a day.

Monaghan will still provide day surgery, day medical services, step-down and rehabilitation beds, diagnostic and outpatient services. However, patients who need emergency hospital admission will instead go to Cavan, Drogheda, Navan or Dundalk.

Acute surgical services have already been transferred from Monaghan to Cavan.

The vigil began at 9am and will continue until 6pm, with members of the community group outside the hospital gates. A book of condolences and support will be available for members of the public to sign.

Critics of the plan have said the move will mean the death of Monaghan hospital, and claimed adequate preparations had not been made in advance of the transfer of services.

Sinn Féin's health and children spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the decision to close acute services at Monaghan hospital would put lives at risk.

"On average some 3,000 patients per annum have received in-patient care at Monaghan and will now have to go primarily to Cavan General Hospital, a hospital that is already working at full stretch and beyond," he said.

"Patients will also have to go to the Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, another centre that is bursting at the seams.

The Health Service Executive previously said ambulance services had been improved in advance of the changes, and a new medical assessment unit and MRI scanner had opened in Cavan.