The campaign to save community hospitals in Lifford, Ramelton and Stranorlar have slammed the HSE’s role claiming it has backtracked on promises.
The Save Our Services Executive have met with and engaged with the HSE in their continued efforts to save the hospitals from closure.
Following a meeting with the HSE and public representatives, members of the Save Our Services Executive have expressed their “complete frustration” at the present time.
A spokesman claimed there is a complete lack of consistency and clarity in the arguments and positions being put forward by the HSE regarding the hospitals.
The SOS executive feel that the futures of all three hospitals are now in serious danger, with the long term care facilities proposed to be removed from all three hospitals by the HSE.
“This is not scaremongering of any kind and based on actual facts as presented to us,” said a spokesperson.
SOS Executive claims it has been “been misled consistently and that assurances issued publicly in the course of the recent General Election by the HSE through Government representatives was not worth the paper it was printed on.”
S spokesman said “Since this, the so called plan, if anything, has become ever more obscure and secretive. We actually mentioned this during our discussions with the HSE that we were being fed incorrect information and that we needed clarity on what was being proposed.
“It is now evident after our recent meetings with the HSE – that the sole and absolute intention of the HSE is the removal of long term bed facility – residential units in all three hospitals, which will also have serious consequences for the delivery of other services in the hospitals. There is Nothing planned for our hospitals until the Letterkenny Unit is built by the looks of it.”
The Executive say they are shocked and annoyed at the manner in which they have been treated throughout this process, which we entered into in good faith – with the evasive manner in which information was kept from the public and the Action Group by the HSE, and Government representatives.
“We were promised various pieces of information from the HSE at our first meeting which we didn’t receive. We were promised information from the CEO John Hayes directly and he assured us he would send this on after our last meeting of June 20th. Nothing has been received. Our secretary contact the HSE asking where and why wasn’t the information sent on and we Still today some 6 weeks later have nothing back.”
The SOS executive are scathing at the total lack of interest by the present government representatives in their campaign – no representatives attended their last meeting with the HSE – when all other political opinions were present at the meeting.
“The action group also publicly call to task the statements issued by representatives during the elective campaign concerning the respective hospitals futures. The matter has now been confirmed by the HSE, that the future of these Hospital services is that complete removal of long term care facilities and the closure of such critical services for the respective communities.”
The HSE in their limited ongoing negotiations with the executive have confirmed no future funding for these three hospitals, until the new hospital is built in Letterkenny by 2021, at which time by their own admission Donegal will have surplus capacity for publically run residential care facility – this would lead to immediate closure of the three hospitals in question.
The statement from SOS said the HSE also confirmed that this position “was always their stated intention regarding the care facility in Donegal” something which we find completely against the ethos of care in the community and disregarding the majority wishes of our communities.
(1) The Executive will now bring their campaign to Dublin and back to the streets in order to save these hospitals. The action group have requested all Donegal TD’s to co-operate with and arrange a meeting with the Minister for Health and Department of Health officials in order to save these Hospitals.
(2) Continue ongoing regulations with the HSE
(3) Re-engage the public in a mass movement to save the hospitals
(4) All public assurances of support given during the recent general election will be publicly called upon to, not just to be honoured, but to actively promoted.
(5) All political party spokespersons will be met by the executive to consolidate cross party support for our campaign and to ensure that what each party and representative committed to should be upheld now.
SOS said “The action group are determined to fight on, the campaign continues for saving our services and we will be seeking further support from our communities over the coming months. We have plans which we are working on at present and we must assure the wider community that we are continuing to work very hard on their behalf.
“The recent confirmations by the HSE are only a clarion call for our communities to wake up and mobilise or forever lose our hospitals. The SOS Executive also feel justified in mounting such a vociferous campaign and active demonstration on the run up to the last election, as it is now confirmed that the futures of these hospitals was always closure by stealth by the HSE until the people of the respective areas mobilised to save the facilities. We will explore all avenues possible to ensure that we succeed in our aim of saving these caring services.”
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