Health Minister says additional cover is being sought for Bantry General as people protest hospital unit's closure
People protesting against the closing of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit at Bantry General Hospital walking up Bridge Street to the Hospital. Picture Dan Linehan
THE Minister for Health says that recruitment of full time consultants for the medical assessment unit in Bantry General Hospital.
Minister Stephen Donnelly posted a series of tweets this afternoon, as a large crowd gathered in Bantry to lobby for the reopening of the MAU at the hospital.
There are two consultant physicians in the hospital. A locum consultant began at the hospital on Friday but this is on a temporary basis for holiday cover for one of the two consultant physicians.
Minister Donnelly said that together with Cork South West Fianna Fail TD Christopher O’Sullivan, he has been working with the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, and the South/South West Hospital Group in relation to the issue at the hospital.
He tweeted:
He added: “We’re working to secure additional cover to allow for normal operations. Recruitment of full time consultants is underway, to be in place in September. Discussions are ongoing to secure further locum cover for the end of the month pending the arrival of the new consultants.”
And he said: “The current arrangements allows medical patients be transferred to Bantry and the hospital group is working with local GPs to keep them updated on progress.”
At today’s gathering in Bantry, speakers included Independent TDs Michael Collins of Cork South West and Danny and Michael Healy-Rae from Kerry.
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said: “We need our health services and we are not second class citizens or third world citizens down here in Bantry or in south Kerry. We are entitled to medical care, second to none.”
Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation also attended the gathering. The organisation said that the closure is not only bad for west Cork, but is diverting patients to already-stretched hospitals such as Cork University Hospital, Mercy University Hospital, and University Hospital Kerry.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer Liam Conway said: “This situation demands urgent action. Bantry General is a pivotal hospital for the area.
"Patients across west Cork deserve better, and this closure is unfairly putting extra pressure on nearby hospitals.”
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