THE HSE has said that no decisions have yet been taken in relation to health services in the southeast and that acute and emergency services at Tipperary General Hospital will continue into the future.
Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath has called on a steering committee set up to examine the reconfiguration of health services in the area to stand down calling it a “waste of time and a waste of valuable resources”.
Mr McGrath has said he will meet chief whip John Curran today and will reiterate his calls to have the reconfiguration programme derailed.
He said that, although he had supported the Government in yesterday’s vote on three outstanding byelections, the Government could not rely on his support if the issue on reconfiguration was not addressed.
He said members of the steering group would be better served “doing proper work in the HSE”.
Mr McGrath was one of six Tipperary Oireachtas members who met with senior HSE officials yesterday in what a spokeswoman described as a constructive meeting during which an “open and frank exchange of views” took place.
The other political representatives present at the meeting were Minister of State for Arts, Martin Mansergh; Fianna Fáil TD Máire Hoctor; Independent TD Michael Lowry; Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes; and Labour Senator Phil Prendergast.
Regional director of operations in the HSE South, Pat Healy, briefed the meeting on the progress of the reconfiguration programme which was established to look at how acute hospital services should be delivered in the southeast. The HSE says it will ensure patient safety and the best health outcomes for patients.
“In 2012 our hospitals will need to comply with a new licensing system which will be underpinned by quality and safety standards. We also have to comply with the European working time directive . . . and ensure that complex care is delivered in hospitals with high volumes of patients,” he said.
Under the European working time directive the HSE is required to reduce the hours that non-consulting hospital doctors work.
He said no decisions have yet been made or recommendations drawn up by the steering group looking at reconfiguration in the area.
He added that no decisions had been reached in relation to HSE maternity service in the area for the foreseeable future and until such a time as HSE’s National Clinical Programme on Obstetrics concludes its work.
Mr Healy said that Tipperary General Hospital would continue as a “vibrant acute hospital” into the future.
He said the hospital would continue to have an emergency department and that acute medicine would continue as would general surgery with an emphasis on increasing day surgery in line with international trends.
The meeting heard that any plans to change services in the future would be brought to public consultation before final decisions were taken.
The Oireachtas members agreed to meet monthly with the HSE to ensure effective communication on plans for the hospital and health service in the area and to work to build the trust necessary to develop a consensus around the planned changes in the health services both in Tipperary and across the southeast.
The reconfiguration steering group includes directors of each of the four general hospitals in the southeast, together with representatives of general practice, nursing and population health and the hospital network manager and clinical lead.