Unions and public reps are demanding the full restoration of A&E services at Our Lady's Hospital Navan

Trade unionists and public representatives are demanding the full restoration of A&E services at Our Lady's Hospital Navan, as the winter illness crisis overwhelms the north east.

The unions and local TDs are demanding an immediate upgrade of and investment in the Navan hospital as facilities across the country reach capacity due to a surge in flu and respiratory illnesses.

Meath Trades Council made the call as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation called for an emergency national plan to deal with overcrowding in our hospitals, having recorded 761 patients on trolleys on Monday.

Locally, 18 patients are on trolleys in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda today (Tuesday) while four are waiting for a bed in Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.

Just last week up to 16 ambulances were waiting with patients outside the Drogheda hospital on Wednesday night, with some waiting up to six hours to hand over patients.

The queue of ambulances came just three days after hospital management in Drogheda were forced to implement a temporary three-hour ambulance bypass while the hospital dealt with a high number of presentations and admissions.

Meath Trades Council Chairperson, John Regan, said: “The cloud of uncertainty concerning the future of emergency services at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan must end. Facilities across the country are at breaking point with the HSE requesting that the public stay away from the A &E Department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda unless in a dire emergency. This is the only fully operational A&E in the North East region.

“The current crisis is a clear indication that the Accident and Emergency of Our Lady's Hospital in Navan needs to be upgraded immediately, with long-term investment required to ensure ambulance services are no longer forced to by-pass the hospital on their way to Drogheda. The public in the North East needs this facility to be fully operational, particularly with Tara Mines located nearby.”

Meath Trades Council Secretary, Moira Leydon, said: “The incoming Government in its programme must include a commitment to retain accident and emergency services in Navan. It must also plan for greater investment in the facilities in both Navan and Drogheda. Meath has a growing population that must have adequate health services capable of catering for our community now and into the future.

“It's pure madness that previous governments have persisted with downgrading hospital health services in Navan. With an ageing population, there is a need for the next Government to use some of the revenues from the Apple tax windfall to upgrade health services in the North East so that they are adequate to deal with the needs of the local community.”

The Save Navan Hospital Campaign is backing the call by the trade unions. "It is crystal clear that full A&E services should be restored to Navan with increased investment," said chairman, Deputy Peadar Tóibín.

"We are commissioning an independent consultants report to identify shortfalls in Navan and the the costs necessary to increase capacity and standards at Our Lady's Hospital.

"We would like to thank Meath Trades Council for their support for our campaign over the past ten years."

Deputy Johnny Guirke called for the immediate upgrading of the hospital and investment to bring it up to Level 3 hospital standard.

"We have seen the effect closing the A&Es in smaller hospitals like Ennis and Nenagh has had on Limerick hospital - the same will happen here if Navan is downgraded," he warned.

East Meath TD Gillian Toole is calling for services to be fully restored and investment made a priority for the Emergency Department in Navan Hospital.

"We shouldn't be waiting until we have a serious situation in Drogheda before taking action to have Navan Hospital's services back to full capacity," said community pharmacist Toole.

"We know the population of the county has increased by almost thirteen percent in recent years," she added.

"The report that was carried out in around 2013 that suggested the reduction of investment in Navan is out of date and it must be revisited as a priority.

"The population estimate for Navan in the future is to grow to 50,000 according to the county development plan, we must have adequate healthcare reflect this."

As the cases of flu and other respiratory illnesses continue to rise, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda has implemented visiting restrictions. Visitors will only be allowed in the hospital by prior telephone arrangement with the Nurse in Charge on the hospital ward.

The HSE has urged the public to use alternative healthcare services for treatment such as GP, GP Out of Hours, Dundalk Injury Unit and pharmacies when appropriate."

Meanwhile The GP Out of Hours service, NEDOC received 4,780 calls over the Christmas and New Year season.

GPs managed 3,500 of these calls through in person consultations in the centres, home visits and GP phone consultations.

During the Christmas weekend the service managed 2,450 calls, with 1,860 patients managed by GP consultation and 580 needed only nurse advice.

The New Year weekend had an additional 2,000 patients make contact with NEDOC, of whom 1,500 were managed by GP consultation and 500 managed by nurse advice.

"There continues to be high levels of respiratory infection in the wider population, much of which can be managed with self-care advice and patients are advised to check self-care advice on www.hse.ie/winter. However do make contact with your GP if symptoms are worsening."