SIGN OUR PETITION TODAY

Please sign this petition to retain all 24 hour primary care services at
Roscommon County Hospital.
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What James Reilly promised the people:

In early February 2011, the then Fine Gael Spokesperson on Health – Dr. James Reilly – wrote an open letter to the people of Roscommon, published in the Roscommon People and the Roscommon Herald. Dr. Reilly is now Minister for Health.

In the course of the letter Dr. Reilly said: “We will establish Roscommon County Hospital as a stand alone hospital. It will continue to be owned by the State, but will be governed and managed by a Local Hospital Board, made up of staff, management, community & patient representatives.

This will allow them to better meet the needs of our community and patients and to manage and operate the hospital to its best to meet the needs of the community it serves.

Therefore, instead of the HSE determining the future of Roscommon Hospital, its future will be in local hands.

I would like to confirm that Fine Gael undertakes, in accordance with the Fine Gael Policy on Local Hospitals, to retain the Emergency, Surgical, Medical and other health services at Roscommon Hospital which are present on the formation of the 31st Dáil.

Furthermore, in the event of the A&E being downgraded, we are committed to reinstating a 24/7 service, where feasible.

To this end, we are intent on addressing the current threats to the 24/7 A&E service, namely the Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors and theatre nursing staffing issues, by introducing a new structure for NCHD training which will recognise the time spent in RCH and change the legislation to facilitate National Treatment Purchase work to take place at RCH, which will enable the employment of the required theatre nurses.

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Roscommon hospital, roscommon hospital action committee, save roscommon hospital, roscommon services

Roscommon hospital, roscommon hospital action committee, save roscommon hospital, roscommon services

Roscommon hospital, roscommon hospital action committee, save roscommon hospital, roscommon services

Roscommon Hospital Action Committee is a voluntary community organisation set up with the sole aim to support and lobby to ensure that quality health services are provided to all people in the catchment area of Roscommon County Hospital.

Our Government's Policy is to centralise the delivery of health services at, as they refer to the designated hospital as "Centres of Excellence". The more accurate definition would be "Centres of Specialities". This government policy of centralisation is being implemented by the Health Service Executive.

These policies will, if allowed to be implemented, mean that all emergency services (Accident & Emergency, Coronary Care, Stroke, Major Trauma and Surgical Services) will be transferred from Roscommon County Hospital to Galway University Hospital.

Government Politicians without addressing the issues/facts have accused the Hospital Action Committee of scaremongering because nobody told them that there was a threat to emergency services or any proposal to close the hospital. The following are the facts, they can be checked and to date nobody has contradicted or disputed any of these assertions.

The H.S.E. West has now amalgamated the four hospitals in Counties Galway and Roscommon into one hospital. Roscommon County Hospital, Portiuncula, Ballinasloe, Merlin Park Hospital are now campus hospitals of Galway University Hospital. Mr Hennessy H.S.E. has stated that routine work will be referred from U.C.H.G. to Portiuncula and Roscommon Hospitals. All management and budgetary functions will be administered from U.C.H.G. with the distinct possibility that funding for Roscommon and the other hospitals will be used to reduce the multi million Euro deficit at U.C.H.G

Medical & Surgical Consultants were summoned by the H.S.E. to a meeting in Galway recently. At that meeting the H.S.E. informed them that their strategic plan for Hospitals was to have 4 categories of Hospitals delivering a defined range of health services.

Cat 4: Galway University Hospital – full range of specialist services

Cat 3: Sligo & Castlebar Hospitals – full emergency, general surgery and medical services.

Cat 2: Roscommon Hospital – No emergency services A & E, Coronary Care etc. Minor injuries will be treated, day case surgery and routine medical services provided at Roscommon Hospital. Example: Patient suffering from chest pain will be transfered and treated in Galway University Hospital not Roscommon County Hospital.

Cat 1: Public Nursing Hospitals 
The Mott McDonald Report was commissioned by the Health Service Executive West to made recommendations on how cuts could be made to achieve €90million in savings . This is the estimated Health Service Executive West Budget over expenditure for 2010. These Consultants in their Report version 31/5/2010 recommended that Roscommon Hospital should be closed. Other cost saving proposals were recommended - only emergency surgery to take place until 2010 - close acute physiactric units - terminate 1000 employee contracts. The actual Report can be accessed through link on provided on this page.

Mr John Hennessy, Director of Operations H.S.E. West and Dr. David O'Keeffe Clinical Director/Manager  Roscommon Galway Hospitals at a meeting with Roscommon County Councillors and Community Representatives on the 8th. July 2010 stated that their preferred option was to transfer  patients requiring emergency treatment to Galway University Hospital. They proposed that patients would be treated at the scene of the emergency by highly qualified Paramedics and then transferred by ambulance to Galway University Hospital. No plan or costing of resources required for this proposal were provided.  

Where from here?
People power has retained Roscommon Hospital over the years and our successful "Hands around Roscommon Hospital" has sent a very powerful message to our Government. We now want every individual to complete our attached undertaking that informs Fine Fail the largest government party that if they don't provide the people with quality health services we will not support them in future local or national elections.
 

Medical Consultants have stated that PEOPLE WILL DIE on the roads to Galway, if proposals to transfer emergency services from Roscommon County Hospital to Galway University Hospital are implemented by Government through the Health Service Executive.