Review of Midlands acute hospital network sparks fears for future

Fears about the future of the three acute hospitals in the Midlands have been heightened in recent weeks after it was revealed a group is being set up to review the sites in Mullingar, Tullamore and Portlaoise in the New Year. The move comes following widespread concern and speculation that the HSE is trying to downgrade the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar, after recent bed closures led to the hospital being taken off-call for a number of days earlier this month. However, at the latest Regional Health Forum for the Dublin-Mid-Leinster Region in Tullamore after a number of Longford-based members sought assurances from the HSE on the future of funding for Mullingar hospital, John Bulfin, Hospital Network Manager for the Dublin Midlands region said that there were no plans to reduce services. The Acute Hospital Service Review is expected to commence in the early part of 2010, a development which has raised further concerns that more beds will closed in the Midlands hospitals. Similar reviews of acute hospital networks in the mid-west and the north-east have resulted in serious downgrades of local hospitals. Meanwhile, in response to a question by Deputy James Bannon on the matter in the Dáil before it adjourned last week the Minister of Health's spokesperson said they've also started a bed utilisation review in Mullingar. Standing in for Health Minister Mary Harney, Deputy Trevor Sargent commented: "The hospital's budget for 2009 is in excess of €64 million, increased from €54.8 million in 2006. The hospital has been recognised as being one of the most efficient in the country in the context of the annual casemix adjustment. Last year, the hospital scored one of the highest in the country with a positive casemix adjustment of €1.977 million". He continued: "Up to end October this year, there were 27,436 emergency attendances, a reduction of 4.8% on the same period last year. Mullingar hospital, in common with all other agencies, is required to manage its services within the approved allocation and to run its services within the approved employment ceiling. It is envisaged that the hospital will break-even this year... In November, patients were transferred from old accommodation at Mullingar hospital to state-of-the-art accommodation in the newly upgraded wards at the hospital. The new wards are a major improvement in terms of standard of care that can be afforded to patients. Under the new arrangements, the number of inpatient beds has been reduced from 220 to 199, and the number of day beds has increased by 13, from 11 to 24. In addition, there are five extra observation beds. These changes are very much in line with international practice, which aims to encourage a greater emphasis on the practice of day care medicine." Deputy Sargent also pointed out that the hospital has commenced a bed utilisation study with a view to establishing that all beds within the hospital are being utilised to maximum effect. Earlier Longford/Westmeath Deputy James Bannon had sought a guarantee from the Minister that services at the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar would be maintained, as further erosion of essential medical facilities following on the recent off-call status of the accident and emergency department at the hospital would be untenable. "There is a real fear that the Longford-Westmeath hospital is being closed by stealth. While I am not used to getting honest answers on the long-term plans of the HSE, I must stress a deliberate and cold-hearted campaign of axing services to the detriment of the health of the people of the midlands will not be tolerated and questions must be answered." "The Longford-Westmeath hospital is struggling to maintain its services. Unless the 41 acute beds that the HSE has axed are re-opened, this hospital will be the latest casualty of HSE mismanagement and of the scandalous disregard of this Government for the health and well-being of the midlands," Deputy Bannon concluded.