Deputy Pearse Doherty
Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Deputy Pearse Doherty has demanded answers from the HSE over its failure to deliver on its commitment to re-instate the Ante-Natal and Gynaecology clinic at Dungloe Community Hospital which was suspended in November 2014.
Deputy Doherty’s comments come following a recent response to a Parliamentary Question in which the HSE state that a decision to re-establish the service has not been taken.
Deputy Doherty has branded the reply ‘unacceptable’ and is now demanding that hospital management clarify if it will fulfil a commitment which was previously given to re-commence the clinic once staffing issues were resolved.
Deputy Doherty said: “Following discussions between myself and Hospital Management regarding the future of the Antenatal Clinic, I was given assurances by management that the Clinic in Dungloe would be reinstated and that the decision to close the facility was only a temporary measure and was made due to prolonged sick leave of key personnel.
“While the staff member returned to work shortly after this, I was informed that an overall review of the service was launched shortly afterwards which meant that the clinic was not to begin operating again until this review was carried out.
“A service delivery model was to be developed and then presented to the Donegal Clinical Society before a decision on the future of the service was to be made by the Saolta Women and Children’s Clinical Directorate and the Executive Board of Letterkenny Hospital.
“Following months of delays, hospital management cited the recent resignation of a Consultant Obstetrician and the failure to successfully recruit a locum replacement as the reason why the clinics had not been reinstated and so I again raised this issue through a Parliamentary Question asking when this post would be filled in order for the service to be re-instated.
“I’ve now received a reply to that question from the HSE in which hospital management state, rather vaguely, that a decision to re-establish the service has not be taken, with no real explanation given as to why this is the case.
“This response from the HSE is not acceptable and the communities of West Donegal will not accept this either.
“I have written to management seeking clarification on this issue and I’ve asked if it’s now the case that a decision has been made not to reopen the Dungloe clinic, and what arrangements are now in place for women in the west of the county requiring maternity services.
“Let me clear, back in January last year when I was first given assurances from management that this clinic would re-open once staff returned to work, I said that I would hold them to this promise and I intend to do just that.”
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