Donegal Action for Cancer Care had requested a meeting with Donegal Oireachtas Members which was due to take place last night.
The meeting was to seek their support and discuss their present concerns regarding the impact of budget cuts to Letterkenny General Hospital’s budget, the impact of the recruitment embargo on staffing levels and the serious issue of no additional funding towards the opening of the new ED & Medical Unit.
Unfortunately the group claims the only Oireachtas member who turned up at the meeting was Thomas Pringle TD.
Among some of the key issues discussed were
· The delay/ gap in recruiting a haematologist.
· The proposed moving of the Oncology Ward to another part of the hospital,
· Moving the Gynae Ward which also accommodates cancer patients to a surgical ward
· No funding to open new ED &medical unit.
· Non replacement of staff in the hospital that are going on maternity leave.
· No funding to replace old equipment in x-ray units.
· Marley’s patient transport system to 10 hospitals in Dublin for Donegal patients.
A spokesperson for the group said “For us in DACC this is not about the quality of services at LGH but how the budget cuts & recruitment embargo will impact on the delivery of services and will then leave the hospital in a position where it will not be able to meet the HSE required quality standards in the future.
“The opening of the new ED & Medical Unit without no additional funding at a time of budget cuts & the recruitment embargo is an insult to the people of Donegal.”
The group added that Letterkenny General Hospital has had many major achievements over the years which it has never been recognised nor rewarded for.
“DACC would like to acknowledge the hard work & excellence of both the management & the staff at Letterkenny General Hospital in very difficult times.
“Donegal health care for the people of the county- can anyone tell us where Donegal’s sick people are on the Government, Department of Health & The HSE agenda’s?”
