Dungloe Community Hospital
Sinn Féin Deputy Pearse Doherty has today once again reiterated his calls for Gynaecology and Ante-Natal services to be reinstated at Dungloe Community Hospital.
Deputy Doherty made the comments following having received confirmation from the HSE today that the recommendations concerning the future of the clinic, which was suspended back in November 2014, are due to be finalised by the service’s Clinical Directorate this September.
Deputy Doherty said: “Today I’ve received confirmation from the HSE that following the long delayed review into Gynaecology and Ante-Natal services at Dungloe Hospital that the proposals and recommendations of the clinical Directorate regarding the future of the service are expected to be available by September.
“While I now await these proposals, I like many others am extremely frustrated by the unacceptable length of time for which it has taken to have arrived at this point in the review and to have these recommendations developed, which I was originally told were to be formally finalised by this time last year.
“As is widely known at this stage, I have been continuously and rigorously pursuing the suspension of Gynaecology services in Dungloe ever since the clinic was discontinued some twenty months ago back in November 2014.
“Following months of having received misinformation from the Executive in relation to this review, I have now received correspondence from the HSE to state that the proposals will be available in the coming weeks and that these will then be considered by management at Letterkenny University Hospital and the Saolta Executive.”
“Once again, I am reiterating my calls for both the Minister for Health and the HSE to make every possible effort to ensure that Ante-Natal services at Dungloe are reinstated without delay.”
“Anything short of the full restoration of the service will not be accepted – neither by myself nor by the people of West Donegal.”
“I gave a commitment way back when these services were first discontinued that I would not let this matter rest and that I would be regularly calling for their reinstatement, and I have stood by that pledge as I am on the Dáil record as having raised the service several times with both the Minister and his predecessor during the past number of months.”
“Between 2010 and 2014, more than 1,200 women attended the out-patient clinic at Dungloe Community Hospital and this is a reflection of the huge level of trust and faith which women throughout West Donegal have in this vital service.”
“I will now be seeking the Directorate’s recommendations in the coming weeks once they become available.”
Tags: