SHOCKING details of how the axe has fallen on medical services across Co Donegal are beginning to emerge from the HSE West plan for 2012.
Lifford Hospital’s 20 beds have been earmarked for closure, though daycare services will be retained.
And while the new A&E will open at Letterkenny General Hospital this year, the hospital has had its funding cut from €97M to €92.6M.
With an €8M overspend last year, this is the equivalent to a €13M cut at Letterkenny.
(The full Plan is available on our homepage on donegaldaily.com).
Refurbishment of facilities in Stranorlar will take place and Glenties is to get a new primary care centre.
However politicians have reacted with anger with Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty claiming that a total of €27M will be taken out of the Donegal health service this year.
St Francis’s hospital in Galway is the only other hospital to actually close its doors.
The HSE says there will be a consultation process on Lifford – but it looks like a decision has already been taken.
Says the report on Lifford: “The priority is to support older persons to continue to live in their own communities, promoting their independence and participation in their communities. In trying to help older people to achieve this, we will, within available resources, provide a variety of home and community-based support services including home help services, home care packages, respite care, day care, meals on wheels, health promotion initiatives / programmes and rehabilitation.”
There is widespread shock that the official HSE Press Release announcing a €104M cut in spending in the HSE West region didn’t even mention Lifford.
The closure of its 20 beds was buried deep inside the actual full report.
