Consultation needed to ensure staff concerns are addressed
Fianna Fáil General Election candidate for Roscommon-Galway Shane Curran has called for a more inclusive approach to ensure that services at Roscommon Hospital are expanded.
He wants to see certain services transferred from University Hospital Galway to Roscommon as a matter of urgency.
Mr. Curran commented, “Roscommon Hospital has been in the spotlight ever since Fine Gael reneged on its promise to protect the A&E when it shut the department only months after getting into Government. Over the past five years, services have been diminished and people have been forced to travel to Galway for treatment. I want to see this situation reversed and ensure that more services are offered at Roscommon.
“The medical assessment unit (MAU) is vital to the workings of a busy hospital as early referral can often prevent unnecessary admissions. The MAU should be expanded and opened 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“I want to see a pragmatic approach adopted, whereby we can attract new specialties to Roscommon, which sees an increase in service provision and which ensures that the hospital is being used to its maximum potential. Specialties like plastic surgery, ear nose and throat and respiratory medicine could be offered at Roscommon – not only would this see services in the hospital better utilised, it would ease the pressure on hospitals like UHG, which is buckling under the pressure.
“These measures have the potential to significantly boost services and throughput at Roscommon Hospital. However, we need to move forward by ensuring that all staff are on board and I would encourage a consultation period so that their concerns and opinions can be taken on board.
“Roscommon Hospital needs to be a fully functioning training hospital, specialising in medicine and surgery. This will bolster services at the hospital and return the services that were protected under Fianna Fáil governments”.