Donegal Action for Cancer Care (DACC) have today sent the following letter addressing Minister Harris, the Minister of Health; Mr. Maurice Power CEO, Saolta University Hospital Group; Mr. Sean Murphy, General Manager of Letterkenny University Hospital.
DACC say that they pride themselves on working within an Ethos of Respect but recent months have really tested their resolve.
“Even though we are voluntary and unpaid, and work within an Ethos of Respect, there comes a time when we must do the right thing and what we can for Donegal’s sick folk & community.”
DACC say that they have tried several times to meet Minister Harris and get answers to their questions, to no avail.
Below is a copy of the letter sent by Betty Holmes of DACC this morning:
“Dear Minister Harris, Mr. Power & Mr. Murphy,
“It is very important to state clearly that the matters in this letter are separate from the outstanding matters & very long overdue meeting from the meeting at Dept. of Health on the 20 th August 2015. Minister Harris with respect as per our many letters including the recent 3 regarding meeting request having the follow up meeting in same format when you are at LUH on Monday 12 th Dec.
“We are asking you all three at this time in the hope that accountability will prevail and we can get answers. We have had major difficulty getting answers to any of our questions over many months.
“The questions below are being asked to be answered as soon as possible please in light of yesterday’s announcement that “HSE considers using prefabs to ease trolley crisis”. These may appear to be very basic but both need to be asked & answered please.
> How many hospital beds does Letterkenny University Hospital have in total?
> How many hospital beds have been available to patients in the last 3 months?
> How many hospital beds are closed?
> How many wards or other bed providing areas are closed at LUH?
> How many patients have been admitted to LUH in the last month?
> How many patients in the last month were unable to access a bed on admission?
> How many front line staff is needed to safely manage patients health care needs at LUH?
> How many front line staff has left or is off sick at LUH in the last 6 months?
> Are any Prefabs on the agenda to be allocated at LUH? If so how many & when? If so how will they be paid for? Out of what budget?
> Is LUH on the list for Prefab/Prefabs?
> As the tender process is starting & intended to conclude in early December how will this process happen? Who will decide on the successful tender?
> When is it intended that the Prefabs would be installed?
“Letterkenny Hospital needs budget & staff allocation based on its In Patient work & recognition at National level for the work, service provision, developments over many years. Instead of repeatedly trying to take key services from Letterkenny strategic planning should be focusing on the hospital’s achievements & growing needs instead of downgrading it.
“Letterkenny Hospital was a leader in many areas over many years till recent years when the focus is on downgrading it! This must stop. We Donegal folk will not accept it… Recognise the work our hospitals both the General & Community Hospitals.
“Other outstanding questions regarding Cardiac Services at LUH we sent to LUH General Manager by letter on the 3rd October and also reminders since then… Hopefully we can now get these answered also please.
Addressing Mr. Sean Murphy, general manager of LUH, Betty Holmes writes:
“Dear Sean,
“Can you update us please on the following?
> How many Cardiologists does Letterkenny University Hospital currently have?
> How many clinics per week does each of these Cardiologists hold?
> What days of the week are clinics held & by what Cardiologist? Where are these clinics held at?
> How many patients approx. have each of these Cardiologists on their clinic lists?
> Is it true that it takes 3 months to have an Angiogram at LUH? Why? Details please.
> Is it true that the Urgent Waiting List is approx. 9 months? Why? Details please.
> Is it true that the Waiting List to see a Cardiologist at LUH is approx.2 years? Why?
> How much does it cost from LUH budget to send a patient to Altnagelvin Hospital as part of the new cross-border cardiology service for Donegal patients suffering from a STEMI heart attack?
> The new Cardiologist announced for Letterkenny Hospital on the 7th April by the then Minister for Health Mr Varadkar has a person been recruited & that post now filled?
> Also the Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Letterkenny University Hospital, who will help to deliver the pPCI service from Altnagelvin announced also at that time by The Saolta Group, has that post been filled? Whose hospital budget funds this post?
> Will these two additional Cardiologist post announced in April be stationed at LUH or are they both primarily to work at Altnagelvin?
> Will LUH in the coming year/ years cease doing their own Angiograms & Angioplasty for its own patients?
> What are the future plans for Cardiac Services at Letterkenny University Hospital?
“And these questions by email to Mt. Murphy on the 15th November when we learned that LUH has no Social worker.
> Since what date has LUH no Social Worker?
> Why has LUH no Social Worker?
> What is being done to address this serious matter?
> When will a replacement Social Worker be recruited?
“Also Minister Harris we are awaiting confirmation of our meeting with you and all those listed in our letters from the previous two meetings please.
“We in DACC are totally voluntary and unpaid and with respect should NOT have to put the effort that we do to get meetings and answers to our questions… it’s really not acceptable. It is very hard to hold onto our Ethos of Respect for everyone when we look at how we are treated by those in positions of responsibility.
We are not going way.
Yours sincerely,
Betty Holmes
DACC also included the following image showing the route that Donegal patients must travel:
