Consultant's report sought by campaigners to establish what is needed to maintain services including ED at Navan Hospital

The Save Navan Hospital Campaign plans to commission a consultants report to establish what is needed to maintain services at Our Lady's Hospital in a fully safe manner.

At the campaign's annual meeting last night (Monday), it was agreed to start fund raising immediately to appoint a consultant.

Chairman, Peadar Tóibín said his fear is that in the run up to the general election there will be no moves to implement to proposed closure of Navan's Emergency Department (ED), but after the election, would be the ideal time for the government to implement the proposal.

The HSE has indicated over the years that it plans to close the ED and replace it with a GP-led medical assessment unit and a 12 hour minor injuries unit.

However, Cllr Aisling Dempsey, the Fianna Fáil candidate for Meath West in the forthcoming general election dismissed speculation of the ED closing as “the usual political scaremongering that we see every election. This sort of electioneering is irresponsible and unfair to the staff in the hospital, patients and people in Co Meath,” she said.

Deputy Tóibín said the purpose of the consultants report would be “to show what investment is needed to maintain services safely at Navan Hospital and that would reduce the governments ability to close the ED.”

Last night's meeting also agreed to set up a petition calling for more GPs for county Meath,

The county has the lowest number of GPs per head of population in the country with just 54 doctors per 100,000, according to figures from the Irish College of GPs (ICGP). WHO recommends 100 GPs per 100,00.

Cllr Dempsey said she had confirmed with her colleague, Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, that he is fully committed to Navan hospital’s future and continuing investment in its services.

“Minister Donnelly has confirmed to me that Navan Hospital is in line for 15 new beds under the new Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan. Recent speculation that the Emergency Department at Navan Hospital is to close, is the usual political scaremongering that we see every election.

“From 2019 to 2023, the budget of the hospital has increased 29 per cent and staffing levels have increased by 26 per cent in the same time-period. This shows clearly that there is a continuous commitment to improving and enhancing the services at Navan for the people of Meath.”

Cllr Dempsey made the comments after meeting with Navan residents concerned about the future of the hospital along with Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons.

Councillor Dempsey also highlighted the need for more GPs in the county with Minister Donnelly, which was an issue raised with her during the recent local election campaign.