Petition mounting for retention of A&E at Naas Hospital
Fears are mounting that Accident & Emergency Services at Naas Hospital could close sparking a meeting this Thursday.
There are real concerns that Naas A&E unit is on a 'hit list' at a time when 4,000 people signed an online petition to retain services at Portlaoise Hospital.
Earlier this month, over 1,000 people attended a meeting at St Mary’s Hall, Portlaoise, on Monday, following leaked reports from Co Laois doctors which speculates that the future of the 24 hours A&E there is uncertain.
Following reports that Portlaoise and Naas Emergency Departments (ED's) were on a ‘hit list’ to be potentially closed, Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley and Athy based Cllr Thomas Redmond began a petition to oppose their closures.
Along with Cllr O’Neill, the petition representing Co Laois and Kildare was handed into the Regional Manager David Walsh at HSE headquarters in Naas.
This Thursday, Sinn Féin Cllr Sorcha O'Neill and TD Louise O'Reilly, will chair a public meeting at the Town House Hotel, Naas, at 7pm, to discuss the recent reports on recommendations to close the A&E services in Naas General Hospital.
Athy based Sinn Féin Cllr Thomas Redmond revealed that plans are now in place to mount an online petition to retain A&E services at Naas Hospital.
As Naas Hospital is already overcrowded, there are real fears that the closure of the A&E at Portlaoise could add to extra pressures.
A recent report revealed Beaumont Hospital in Dublin had an 12% rate of deaths due to haemorrhagic strokes, in contrast to Naas Hospital with a level of 35%, the highest in the country.
FF Deputy for South Kildare, Fiona O’Loughlin similarly urged Kildare TDs to strenuously oppose any Government proposals to close either emergency facility.
Deputy O'Loughlin said: “Kildare already has an abysmal record in some areas of health care and supports. For example, the recent stats revealed for outpatients waiting lists over the past 12 months show Portlaoise recorded a 200% increase since December 2015, 486 patients waiting – that’s an increase of 324 on December figures”.Naas now has 933 on the out-patients waiting list, up 174.4%, this is not ‘healthcare’, this is a joke! Added to this, Kildare has one of the highest suicide rates per county but one of the lowest investments in mental health supports and services.I am calling on Minister for Health Simon Harris to give a firm commitment to maintain services at both hospitals and will be seeking clarity from the Minister on same this week”.