Closure of A&E at Navan Hospital sparks fears of overcrowding at nearby hospitals
Navan By Hse Said June Will Of Transfer Patients The Beds From 30, Carron/collins Icu Between September Would Where Greater Picture: Arthur Additional Open There Two Be Drogheda, And
The phased closure of the emergency department at Navan Hospital has led to fears nearby hospitals will be overrun with patients on trolleys.
The announcement of a phased closure of the A&E at Navan, to be replaced with a medical assessment unit, was made by the HSE on Monday but it has already been undermined by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
Mr Donnelly has insisted no timeline or details have been agreed on the emergency department closure, despite the HSE announcing its plan to phase it out.
On Monday, HSE officials met Mr Donnelly and other politicians from the Navan region to discuss the proposed closure and later that afternoon the planned changes were publicly announced.
Under the plans, the emergency department will close and the hospital will instead have a 24-hour medical assessment unit. These units only take patients referred in by GPs.
Emergency and critical cases will be taken mainly to Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda, with the HSE estimating about 2,100 ambulance transfers annually.
From June 30, the HSE said there would be greater transfer of patients between Navan and Drogheda, where two additional ICU beds will open by September.
However, Mr Donnelly has suggested the HSE "jumped the gun" in making the announcement.
“No decision regarding the HSE’s proposal for the transition of the emergency department at Our Lady’s Hospital Navan has been agreed by this Government.”
He said several issues remain to be addressed, including increasing capacity in nearby hospitals.
It is understood the minister felt he had been clear with the HSE about the need for further engagement with politicians before an announcement was made.
A HSE spokesman did not comment on the apparent dispute, but said: “We are beginning the steps that would be required to ensure the reconfiguration can take place, and will take full cognisance of concerns that have been raised."
The move follows safety concerns, including Navan having the smallest intensive care unit in Ireland, clinical cover for the emergency department is provided by non-specialists and there is a lack of services, such as neurology.
However, the Save Navan Hospital Campaign has called for the hospital to be upgraded instead of sending emergency care to other areas.
Aontú TD Peader Tóibín, closely involved with the campaign, said of the announcement: “I was not expecting it to be so done and dusted. I was shocked.”
He said it was “mind-bending” to think already overcrowded hospitals nearby could take extra patients.
He is aware of people waiting as long as six days to see a GP locally and said this would limit access to the new unit.
Clinical director at Navan hospital Gerry McEntee said similar closures in Ennis and Nenagh are now “working extremely efficiently” despite initial opposition.
These now offer medical assessment units and local injury units, with emergency care in the region funnelled to University Hospital Limerick.
Campaigners in Clare, Limerick and Tipperary have called repeatedly for services to be expanded and the Regional Health Forum West recently called for emergency departments to be reopened, saying the reconfiguration policy has failed.