POSSIBILITY OF MONAGHAN HOSPITAL MINOR INJURY UNIT ACCEPTING AMBULANCE PATIENTS RAISED BY SENATOR GALLAGHER

Senator Robbie Gallagher has called this week for an expanded role for the injury unit at Monaghan Hospital which could see it accept patients for treatment for minor medical conditions that would otherwise see them brought by ambulance to Cavan Hospital. The Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil representative called in the Seanad for consideration to be given to the replication in Monaghan of a programme currently in place at Roscommon University Hospital which allows that facility to accept patients for treatment for minor ailments through an agreed protocol with the National Ambulance Service.

Senator Gallagher raised the matter with Minister of State at the Department of Health Joe O’Brien TD, who confirmed that the new programme being piloted at Roscommon “is now being explored for roll-out to other hospitals including Cavan and Monaghan Hospital”. Broaching the issue with the Minister of State, Senator Gallagher noted this week’s statement by Cavan General Hospital management requesting that people with non-urgent or non-critical conditions refrain from attending the hospital because of the high volumes of patients they were experiencing and instead contact their GP and pharmacy for assistance.

“This brings into focus again, from our perspective in Monaghan, the role that Monaghan Hospital and, in this instance, the role the injury unit in Monaghan could provide to help alleviate the pressure on emergency departments, not just in Cavan but in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda as well,” Senator Gallagher stated. “Thankfully, the injury unit in Monaghan is now open seven days per week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. They treat a wide range of injuries at the hospital. Neither an appointment nor a GP referral…