The Health Service Executive (HSE) has denied decisions have been taken on reducing life-saving health services in the northeast of the country.
The HSE was responding to reports today that it was considering plans to close the A&E department at Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, and the recently opened A&E unit in Monaghan General Hospital.
HSE statement
A leaked HSE document also discussed plans to cut elective surgery by 20-25 per cent at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan, the Louth County Hospital and the Cavan/Monaghan hospital group.
The number of beds across Monaghan Hospital would be reduced by 10 under the draft plan and the number of operations at Louth County Hospital would also fall.
Radiologists' and anaesthetists' jobs would be cut are as part of draft plans to re-route emergency ambulances, the memo says.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation reacted angrily to the reports, claiming the proposals would have a detrimental effect upon patient services.
"Members of the INO are appalled that management are drawing up such plans in the absence of any consultation or discussion at local level. Health services in the north east are already the most under-resourced and under-staffed in the country," the INO said in a statement.
INO industrial relations officer Tony Fitzpatrick said: " This HSE proposal will have a devastating effect upon patient services in the north east. There is a requirement for the expansion of services in the region and not, as is proposed, the further constriction of services.
"We have sought an emergency meeting with the HSE to discuss these concerns and the matter will be raised at the next meeting of the Health Forum which is due to take place on Friday next."
Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly said the proposals would have a knock-on effect on waiting lists for treatment and waiting times for access.
"They will also see cancellation of elective surgery continue. Once again in order to balance its books the HSE is sacrificing patient services while the burgeoning bureaucracy remains untouched," he said.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said: "No decisions have been taken on reducing services in the north east. We are facing a challenging year and we are exploring how best to deliver services within budget.
"We should be in a position by mid-February to be more definitive about the services we will provide for the year."
The recommendations in the document included:
- Reducing the number of orthopaedic (fractures) elective surgeries by a quarter at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.
- Downscaling elective surgery in Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, including the establishment of a shorter working day.
- Cutting the number of out-patient clinics and limiting elective (pre-planned) surgeries at Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, and Cavan and Monaghan to four days a week.
- The changes are designed to save money but would also provide for new medical assessment units at Navan and Drogheda by July.
- More home care packages would also be available.
- Downsizing at Monaghan will depend on extra intensive care and accident and emergency services being provided elsewhere.
- The document refers to reducing outpatient clinics by a fifth at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, as well as the Cavan/Monaghan Hospital group.