FEMALE patients at Letterkenny General Hospital have been “betrayed” by new measures being put in place to treat women there, it has been claimed.
Insiders are furious that gynae patients now being treated on general wards have their names written up on information boards.
They say they were assured that the services provided by nurses would stay the same – that they would just be moved to other wards.
“But it isn’t the same,” said one source, “it is now clear that male nursing staff will be treating women who have, for example, miscarried.
“We are not for one minute questioning the integrity of the male staff at Letterkenny General; it’s just that the Gynae ward was a haven for women, most of whom would prefer to be dealt with by female staff.
“At the weekend there was just one nurse available for six gynae patients.
“But the most appalling aspect of moving these services relates to the posting of names on nursing information boards.
“In the gynae ward this never happened. The nurses knew who they had in the ward and for privacy this just wasn’t the case.
“Now gynae patients in Ward 2 are having their names written up.
“This shows a shocking lack of sensitivity.”
Asked about the claims last night, campaigner Linda Cullen, who wants the ward which was closed at the weekend to be re-opened, said: “We would call for an immediate review of the gynae services.
“The hospital has made promises on several issues, insisting that services would stay and that they were just being transferred.
“Already we have had a breach of one of the most precious things women appreciated in Gynae; their anonymity. I would call on hospital manager Sean Murphy to explain this publicly.”
The new Emergency Department at the hospital opens today.
Tags:
