New funds to enhance Roscommon urology service – Naughten

In Health, News by Denis Naughten

Local TD Denis Naughten has welcomed the allocation of funding to expand the newly developed urology service across Roscommon and East Galway, a move which will see patients diagnosed and treated quicker than in the past.

Following the development of a new rapid access and treatment urology service at Roscommon Hospital for those with blood in urine and for incontinence, funding is now being provided to expand this service to Portiuncula Hospital and across GP clinics.

As part of the development of the Roscommon model of urology care three advance nurse practitioners in urology will be appointed across a number of Saolta hospitals including Roscommon and Portiuncula Hospitals.

The objective is to treat patients with blood in their urine or incontinence  quicker and before they need to go to hospital in the first place. For those who do need hospital care this will be available to them far quicker and they will be discharged home in a shorter period of time.

“Roscommon Hospital was the first hospital in Ireland to introduce a rapid results service for patients with symptoms of blood in urine, which in 10% of cases is a sign of cancer,” said Denis Naughten.

“Under the expansion of the Roscommon model, more care will be provided in local clinics which will reduce the need for people to travel long distances to hospital.”

Denis Naughten continued: “The expansion of this new service will save lives and also improve the quality of life for those with incontinence.

“One in every three people over the age of 65 suffer from incontinence and with the right care and advice this can be cured or managed. However, if untreated it can lead to infections and psychological problems such as depression.

“This investment of €320,000 is being used to drive treatment from the big hospitals to small hospitals and GPs clinics thereby providing a better local service to patients. This funding is also an acknowledgment of the leadership role being played by Roscommon Hospital in transforming healthcare in Ireland

“There is no doubt that this new funding would not have come about without the commitment of Mr Eamonn Rogers, the dedicated team of staff at Roscommon Hospital and local GPs who have developed a project to secure this national funding,” concluded Denis Naughten.

ENDS.