Government says ‘no decision’ yet on whether surgical hub is going to Donegal or Sligo

Derry Journal

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00:00All we're asking for Minister in Donegal is fair play. We're not asking for special

00:05treatment, we're asking that our citizens don't have to travel long

00:09distances for care that should be provided in their own community. We're

00:13asking that our emergency services are not allowed to collapse. We're asking

00:17that we have the necessary number of surgeons and consultants in Leather

00:20County and it's very very clear if there's only one surgical hub for the

00:25Northwest region which is a huge region from the top of Donegal right down into

00:29I would imagine Roscommon, that sort of area. If there's only one and

00:36Leather County doesn't have that surgical hub it is a disaster for our county and

00:40our services. That's not my words, that's the consultants. We had a presentation

00:44to us as TDs and it was extremely concerning. Now Minister for Health

00:48Jennifer Carmine is very aware of that and I want to thank her, she's engaging, she

00:52met last night. And now we need to have absolute clarity today that there isn't a

00:56deal done on this. And just to be clear, in Donegal we're not into divide and

01:00conquer. We want Sligo and Leather Kenny to have a surgical hub. We want all of the

01:05people to be treated the same. Equal services for all of our people. So the

01:09HSE have pulled services away into Galway, have neglected Donegal for a long

01:15time, but we're not turning this into a Sligo versus Donegal thing. We want a

01:18surgical hub, equal access for all of our people. So we just want clarity that the

01:23intervention from Marian Hargan that this deal hasn't been done. We want absolute

01:30clarity there isn't a deal done, that there will be fairness for the people of

01:33Donegal, that all of these doctors and consultants will be listened to, that the

01:37actual facts and evidence on the ground about population numbers, demand, all of

01:42that will be listened to. And the final message is this, is that in Donegal, and it's a

01:47cross-party matter now. We will not be neglected anymore. We will not accept

01:52second-class citizenship. This issue has united us like nothing it ever has done

01:56before on health matters. So it needs to be sorted out in a clarity today that we're

02:01going to get fairness on all of this. Minister, as you know, the Surgical Hub is

02:06a key issue in terms of Donegal. It's one that has to be delivered in Leather Kenny. And it's

02:11not just a case of trying to ensure that we have the resources in the county. We've

02:15heard from an unprecedented number of doctors, surgeons, consultants in the

02:20hospital, which have told us that without the Surgical Hub in Leather Kenny, that we

02:26are at serious risk of losing accident emergency services and maternity services

02:30within a short period of time. That is why they have come together. That is why all

02:34of the politicians in Donegal have come together and made it very clear that we

02:38need to see a Surgical Hub delivered in Leather Kenny. This isn't to the detriment of

02:42Sligo. We believe that the north-west region has been left behind for far too long. But

02:47the location has to be, at least one has to be in Leather Kenny.

02:53No decisions have been made yet on the location of the north-west Surgical Hub. And the Minister

02:58is taking time to consider and understand the situation in Donegal. This includes engagement

03:02with local representatives, doctors and consultants. And I know that she was due to meet some of

03:09those last night and remain committed to positive engagement with everybody who is interested

03:14in delivering the best healthcare for the people of Donegal. Turning to Leather Kenny University

03:20Hospital in particular, the Government are committed to its ongoing development. The Government

03:25have allocated significant resources to meet the needs of patients at the hospital. This

03:30has included an increase in its budget by 57 per cent over the last five years. In that

03:37time, we have also seen staffing grow by 25 per cent, and 28 new beds have been opened.

03:45Recent capital projects completed at Leather Kenny University Hospital include an extension

03:50to the laboratory and works in the acute mental health unit. Several capital projects are on

03:55the way, including the expansion of the renal department, pharmacy, a septic unit and a new

04:03heating centre and a range of projects to increase capacity. Construction is also underway of a 110

04:11bed community hospital in Leather Kenny, representing an investment of 52 million for the enhanced services

04:18for all the people. Leather Kenny University Hospital have also expressed plans for four key infrastructure

04:24projects which form part of the development control plan within the HSE West North, West region,

04:30health region. These projects include bed expansion, emergency and urgent care capacity, critical

04:37care capacity and the ambulance care block. We understand that these plans are currently

04:42being developed by the hospital and will need to be further considered by the HSE before a decision

04:47can be made on their inclusion on the capital programme. I hope the deputies can see that we are committed

04:54to the people of Donegal and look forward to continuing engagement on these issues.

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