Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said there are "absolutely no plans" to close the emergency department at Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.
Responding to a HSE report which said emergency services should be discontinued at Portlaoise for safety reasons, Mr Varadkar said that since the report was completed the HSE had acted on its recommendations to strengthen services at the hospital.
An earlier statement from the Minister’s office said the hospital had a “bright future” within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group but made no reference to the emergency department.
It said the HSE has developed an action plan after identifying “a number of issues” to be addressed in the hospital. Actions taken to stabilise services included the appointment of a temporary consultant to the emergency department, plans to appoint an additional physician and nurse practitioner and full implementation of the National Early Warning Scheme for sick patients.
“There has been strong engagement between the HSE nationally and senior management and staff at the hospital. They are involved centrally in decision-making on how to improve services for patients in Portlaoise.”
Asked later to clarify his position in relation to the emergency department, Mr Varadkar said: “I can’t guarantee anything for perpetuity but there are absolutely no plans whatsoever to close the emergency department.”
Mr Varadkar, who was speaking at a conference on cancer survivorship, indicated he will not for now extend breast cancer screening to women aged 65-69 years, as promised in the Programme for Government and called for by the Irish Cancer Society.
“I very much want to do it, but I can’t if it means cutting services for people who have cancer. That would be a mistake.”
He said his priority was to ensure there were enough funds to maintain existing cancer services and “if there is any money left over” he would prioritise the extension of cancer screening to older women.
