LOCAL REACTION:NAVAN RESIDENTS expressed deep concern yesterday at the HSE's decision to reduce services at the town's hospital.
Businessman Brendan Kiernan said he believed an acute hospital was beneficial in a town the size of Navan.
“Particularly since it’s not a new institution. It’s been there a number of years. I agree they can’t have a cancer unit in every town, or in every town that has a hospital. But certainly for the good of the town and for the safety of the local community in the hinterland of Navan – Kells, Oldcastle – I do believe it will be a major drawback if it wasn’t kept on in some form.”
Thomasina Martin from outside Navan said she had had orthopaedic surgery in Our Lady’s and her experience of the service had been “very good”.
Hazel O’Connor, having coffee with her mother Maura O’Connell, said it was a “huge loss” for Navan. “My father had operations there and I had procedures there myself.” Her father John, who died five months ago, had a knee replacement and also surgery for bowel cancer in Navan. “We’ve had plenty of trips up to Navan hospital,” she said.
Ms O’Connell said the news was “terrible for the whole town”.
David Lindsay said he had used the hospital for “routine” procedures.
He believed it was necessary to keep services at the hospital because the town was growing, with many new residents from Dublin and from other countries.
“I would much prefer to be nearer because time is of the essence.” Thomas Bartley from Navan said he believed it was bad to bring people from Navan to Drogheda for surgery.
“They’re ruining Navan by cancelling operations. Tara Mines depends a lot on it. I’ve been in it a good few times and I’ve been looked after well every time I went in. The service would always be good and the doctors and nurses were good to me.”
Hospital staff were nervous yesterday as they left meetings with HSE management having been told of the closure of acute and emergency surgery there.
Few would speak to waiting reporters and waved them away saying they could not comment.
Those who did speak were either union representatives or did not want to be named.
They described a mood of anger inside a packed conference room that was not large enough to contain everyone.
A second briefing was held later. Inside the hospital as the meeting went on, corridors were largely empty with sounds of normal workplace activity from kitchens. Doors stood open to a large, but empty chapel. A large statue of the Virgin Mary stood high on a plinth in a corridor.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Doiminic Ó Brannagáin, clinical director of the Louth-Meath Hospital Group, repeated one phrase: the decision to stop general and acute emergency surgeries at Navan had been taken on foot of “expert external clinical advice”.