Cavan hospital toiling under unfair pressure, claims Monaghan GP

Monaghan GP, Dr Ilona Duffy, has called this week for the opening of a medical assessment unit at Monaghan General Hospital to alleviate what she described as the unfair pressure on Cavan General Hospital. Dr Duffy says senior people involved in shaping the acute medicine programme at national level, such as Dr Shane O'Neill and Dr Gary Courtney, favour such a development but HSE management may not be as eager. Indications that current exigencies may require a change of direction are given added credence by a HSE recommendation this week that Monaghan and Cavan people can access the services of the minor injuries unit at Monaghan General Hospital instead of having to come to the overcrowded emergency department at Cavan. It has been a tough week for Cavan General Hospital, having to cope with overcrowding and dealing with an outbreak of norovirus (the winter vomiting bug) in the hospital. According to Tony Fitzpatrick, regional organiser of nursing union, the INMO, an overcrowded emergency department along with overcrowded wards contribute to the outbreak of norovirus at the hospital, which has resulted in the curtailment of services over the last week. Mr Fitzpatrick has secured a commitment from the HSE for an urgent meeting in order to tackle the overcrowding difficulties at the hospital once and for all. That meeting is expected to take place early next week. The INMO representative has also requested a meeting with the new Health Minister, Dr James Reilly, to discuss the overcrowding at the emergency departments in Cavan and Drogheda, which he describes as the worst in the country. It is Mr Fitzpatrick's contention that the ongoing state of affairs, resulting in more than 30 patients lying on trolleys at Cavan General Hospital on a daily basis, is just not acceptable. He says that HSE management must proactively engage with his members in order to solve the overcrowding, which has resulted in the hospital's medical assessment unit being unable to function because it is full of patients already admitted. Meanwhile, the HSE has acknowledged that the emergency department at Cavan General Hospital is exceptionally busy this week. It urges the public to attend for emergencies only and advises people to contact their GPs or GP Out of Hours services in the first instance. The HSE is also advising that the minor injuries unit at Monaghan Hospital is open 9am-9pm and is suitable for minor injuries. It explains that the outbreak of norovirus at Cavan General Hospital resulted in a number of wards being closed in order to curtail a further spread of the virus. "All wards have now reopened for admissions although certain bays within some wards remain closed to admissions and transfers," said the HSE.