HSE closes over fifty beds at the three hopitals in the Midlands

Criticism has been expressed at the HSE's decision to close 56 beds at hospitals in Ballinasloe, Mullingar and Tullamore. Portiuncula Hospital has recently seen the closure of 25 of its beds, along with one of its theatres. At the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar there has been a net reduction of 16 beds, while in Tullamore there was an amalgamation of two orthopaedic wards, along with surgical and ENT Departments, leading to a total of 15 bed closures. The HSE has said that it chose to implement the cost-saving measures at these hospitals during the summer months because "on a year on year basis, demand for services reduces over the summer period." It added that the hospitals were "considering alternative strategies" on an ongoing basis, and that this "will be reviewed at the end of the summer." Athlone councillor Paul Hogan said he vehemently opposed the bed closures, and added that there was no guarantee the beds will be reopened at the end of the summer. "We have become all too aware of Government plans to temporarily close wards and beds in our hospitals only for them never to open again," said Cllr Hogan. "I do not trust the HSE when they say that these beds will close temporarily over the summer months. People in this constituency are fearful that this is just the thin end of the wedge and that these beds will never come on stream again, or worse still, the Government will target the hospital with further cutbacks. "I predict that there are hundreds of patients in Longford/Westmeath waiting for operations in our hospitals. In recent times, we have witnessed people lying on trolleys in hospital corridors, the length and breadth of this country. The latest confirmed cases of Swine Flu in this state is 164, yet there isn't an adequate plan containing resources and funding in place for vaccinations. The fact is that no hospital can afford the closure of any bed," said the Sinn Féin representative. Cllr Hogan added that the move represented "yet another example of this Fianna Fáil led Government attacking the most vulnerable in society." Similar criticism was expressed by Fine Gael TD for Longford/Westmeath, James Bannon, who stated that the decision to close the beds would lead to fatalities. "It has been very clear for some time that the Government is set on stripping Mullingar Hospital of valuable services, in a cost-cutting exercise which threatens the lives of the people of Longford/Westmeath and the Midlands," said Deputy Bannon. "In order to save lives the HSE and the Minister must reconsider their drastic actions which will lead to fatalities," he added.