Proposals to slash local hospital services emerge ahead of Reilly meeting

A draft HSE document containing proposals to slash services, including orthopaedics, surgery and casualty, at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan has added to the growing concerns among campaigners for the future of the hospital. The internal draft 'cost containment' document, which has been seen by the Meath Chronicle, outlines proposals for consideration which include the transfer of orthopaedic services at Our Lady's Hospital to Cappagh Hospital in Dublin, the reduction of the emergency department (ED) in Navan to a 12-hour only service and the transfer of all surgery from Navan to the Louth County Hospital. The HSE has indicated that no decision has been taken on any of these proposals. The document, which outlines proposals to be investigated by HSE personnel, has angered hospital campaigners and medics who are due to meet Health Minister Dr James Reilly today (Wednesday) to discuss the future of the Navan hospital. The Save Navan Hospital campaign chairman, Deputy Peadar Tóibín, said they would fight the proposals tooth and nail and would be seeking a "cast iron guarantee" from the minister that these proposals would not be implemented. A delegation from the campaign is due to meet with the Minister at 3pm today (Wednesday), immediately after a meeting between the minister and senior medical staff from Meath. Deputy Tóibín said the hospital had suffered a multitude of cuts over the years and if this trend continued, there would be nothing more than a cottage hospital in the county. "We were given a solemn promise before the election that elective surgery would be returned and that other services would be defended. We were also promised that a new regional hospital would be built in Meath within five years," he said. "It is clear from the Denis Naughton affair that assurances given prior to the election are not watertight so we will be going to the minister looking for proof and cast iron guarantees that our hospital is safe," he said. A spokesperson for the HSE said the report was clearly labelled as draft and confidential and should be treated as such. "The proposals put forward in this draft document have not been approved by the HSE and require further consideration and impact assessment before any decisions are taken. "HSE DNE must comply with its statutory obligations and remain within its allocated budget. Every effort will be made to do that in a way that has the least impact on patients and clients," the spokesperson said. Government TD Damien English said it was a very serious document which he would be discussing with the minister today. He said he had been in discussions with Dr Reilly on Navan Hospital on a daily basis this past week and the minister had again confirmed that there would be no change to the emergency dept in Navan this week and had reiterated his commitment to restore elective surgery to Navan. Deputy English said the orthopaedic unit in Navan was a national asset and he couldn't see it being closed down He said the HSE had proposals to reduce emergency department services in Navan for some time but they would fight those proposals. Navan GP, Dr Niall Maguire, said the proposals all seemed to be about saving money, rather than safety. He warned that if Navan lost its othopaedic unit, it would have a hugely detrimental effect. "One of Navan's strengths is that there are five consultant aneasthetists in the orthopaedic unit and, if they were transferred to Cappagh, it would leave Navan in a very exposed position," he warned. He said he would be seeking guarantees from the minister at today's meeting and wouldn't "swallow any guff" about reduction in services being about patient safety. Cllr Joe Reilly said the proposals were absolutely unacceptable and will be opposed by the people of Navan. He called on the minister to clarify whether these proposals were gaining traction within the Department of Health or if they were the "mindless proposals of a HSE bureaucrat".