But Minister commits to independent assessment of medical research

21 July 2011
Denis Naughten TD has expressed serious concern regarding the failure to provide adequate and appropriate emergency ambulance service to the people of County Roscommon.

However, Denis Naughten has been given a commitment by the Health Minister, to have an independent evaluation of the medical evidence which it is claimed, supports the case for the safe transfer of critically ill patients by ambulance for over 2 hours.

On the issue of the ambulance service Deputy Naughten highlighted the case for the closure of the A&E department at Roscommon County Hospital was made on the basis of the need to transfer patients to a specialist category 4 hospital, namely Galway University Hospital.(GUH)

But to the amazement of the Health committee today, it was disclosed that there are now less patients being transferred to GUH, than was the case before the closure of A&E in Roscommon.

Based on previous transfers to to GUH and admissions to Roscommon Coronary Care Unit there should have been at least 14 patients/week admitted to the Category 4 hospital in Galway.

The Health Committee was informed by the Minister that there was just 2 patients transferred to GUH with the majority of patients transferred to other category 3 hospitals namely Portiuncula (11 ambulance transfers), Mullingar (6), Castlebar (4) & Sligo (3).

These figures clearly contradict the safety case that was made in advance of the closure of Roscommon County Hospital.