Night closure of A&E back on the table

A warning that thousands of people could take to the streets of Navan again in protest at proposals to slash services at Our Lady's Hospital has come as cost-cutting plans come under consideration by the HSE. A draft cost containment plan for the Louth-Meath Hospital Group, which is being considered by the HSE, outlines a number of cost-saving options, including the closure of A&E in Navan from 8pm to 8am, cuts to orthopaedic surgery and the closure of one of the hospital's theatres. However, while the HSE acknowledges that a number of options are under consideration, nothing has been finalised. Chairman of the Save Navan Hospital campaign, Peadar Tóibín, TD, said the proposals would be a devastating blow to health services in the county and that the campaign would fight it tooth and nail. He urged the people of Meath to attend a meeting of the Save Navan Hosopital campaign in the Newgrange Hotel, navan, tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm to fight against the proposals. "We will do everthing in our power to stop these cuts, even if it means bringing tens of thousands of people onto the streets of Navan," he said. To read the full story see this week's Meath Chronicle.