Get your hands off Portiuncula!

The Minister for Health and his department officials have been warned – hands off Portiuncula Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Local politicians have been queuing up this week to support the retention of an Emergency Department at Ballinasloe as a Sunday newspaper report cast doubts over its future.

Galway/Roscommon TD, Minister Denis Naughten, yesterday reiterated his unequivocal stance that his support for Government is contingent on services at Portiuncula being grown, not cut.

“As far as I’m concerned, the status of the Emergency Department in Portiuncula is not up for discussion. Full Stop,” insisted Minister Naughten.

He met with Health Minister Simon Harris since the lead story in the Sunday Business Post flagged that Portiuncula Emergency Department could be axed, along with eight others nationwide.

Minister Naughten said it would not be acceptable. “This issue also arose during the talks on the formation of a government and I made it crystal clear that I would not tolerate any proposal to downgrade the A&E at Portiuncula Hospital. I was given a specific assurance that there would be no downgrading of the A&E and I have re-iterated this to the Minister Harris,” said Minister Naughten.

The Department of Health, in a statement to the Tribune, said: “The work which is under way on developing a national trauma policy is about getting the best outcomes for a particular, small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. It is not about closing Emergency Departments or diminishing services. There are currently no plans to close or remove trauma services from any hospital.”

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.