Splitting South eastern hospitals

Max Powers

Well lads/ladies, Bringing this from the Waterford Forum as it effects KK, Wex just as much.

Heard a Waterford Senator talking about the effective breaking up of the south-east hospital region in a proposed report.

WRH to be tacked on with a Cork hospital
Kk with some Dublin Hospital
Wex with some Dublin hospital


Im surprised its not on the KK boards already, this will not be good for Kilkenny, Waterford, Clonmel or Wexford. I realise that KK hospital may look at WRH with some mild jealousy as its a bigger hospital (I presume) serving the region, however this is no time for such jealousy, WRH serves all of the region, if the govt plans go ahead, eventually there will be no SE hospital region, no regional hospital and sure as the TD/minister says, 'sure what funding do they need'.

Reilly is hiding behind the idea of smaller procedures in smaller hospitals, which in theory is fine however, if KK is lumped in with Dublin, Waterford with COrk etc, do you think Cork or Dublin is gonna have us in the south east as their first priority. I dont think so. Not to mention, various jobs moved form here to Cork/Dublin.


Get onto your TDs, Ministers and Hogan

road_high

Sounds a bit vague just yet. Senator talking about a proposed report?
I'm not sure what they even mean by integrating St. Lukes with a Dublin hospital? Which one, even? Is it a management admin merger? Or merger of procedures?
It may not be neccessarily be a bad thing if it saves money.
As it is, far as I can see you/we have to go to Dublin for any major procedure around these parts anyhow...to be honest if my life was in danger I'd much rather go to Dublin where they are very specialised (usually) in various fields and thus chances are best for positive outcomes.

Max Powers

mfitzy wrote: »

Sounds a bit vague just yet. Senator talking about a proposed report?
I'm not sure what they even mean by integrating St. Lukes with a Dublin hospital? Which one, even? Is it a management admin merger? Or merger of procedures?
It may not be neccessarily be a bad thing if it saves money.
As it is, far as I can see you/we have to go to Dublin for any major procedure around these parts anyhow...to be honest if my life was in danger I'd much rather go to Dublin where they are very specialised (usually) in various fields and thus chances are best for positive outcomes.

you would rather travel 100miles to dublin than 30 to WRH for major/urgent work? That doesnt make any sense to me, we all in the SE should be pushing for services/jobs to stay in the SE, supporting the SE etc.
The report is done, just not released yet, out of the report will come proposals. I would have thought the removal of control out of the SE would be a red flag for all of us.

road_high

Max Powers wrote: »

you would rather travel 100miles to dublin than 30 to WRH for major/urgent work? That doesnt make any sense to me, we all in the SE should be pushing for services/jobs to stay in the SE, supporting the SE etc.
The report is done, just not released yet, out of the report will come proposals. I would have thought the removal of control out of the SE would be a red flag for all of us.

That ain't what I said....any friends/family I have had ill in recent years have been reffered to Dublin generally for any major treatment. Of course in an ideal world it would be wonderful to have 1st class facilities all available nearer home but given the choice between having it done in a centre of excellence or in a smaller hospital, I know which I'd choose anyhow...
We could go off and get all hysterical here and say the govt is shafting the south east again but I certainly don't have enough facts to back that up.
Link to the report please? Or where it is talked about (factually, i.e. not boards hearsay!!)? Also, is removal of control (though that what kind of happened already with HSE South in Cork) a given? Who says the Dublin or Cork hospitals won't be on an equal footing?

Dozen Wicked Words

If you were in North Kilkenny I don't think there would be much to choose distance wise between Dublin and Waterford would there?

road_high

Depends, do they mean Tallaght hospital? Or a city centre hospital?You're right there isn't a massive difference in journey times.
Why I want more facts on the report, would some treatments be in say Kilkenny and others in the Dublin hosp vice versa?

catbear

Is the issue worker reluctance to adapt to changes to provide better value for money for general healthcare?

mydogjack

Ah this is a farce. W.R.H is riddled with bugs, and to be honest I'd rather take my chances in Dublin. W.R.H is our 'regional' but no Cancer, paeds etc. Seriously would not bother me as we have to travel to Dublin anyway for anyting Acutely serious. I smell a rat here.

Max Powers

mydogjack wrote: »

Ah this is a farce. W.R.H is riddled with bugs, and to be honest I'd rather take my chances in Dublin. W.R.H is our 'regional' but no Cancer, paeds etc. Seriously would not bother me as we have to travel to Dublin anyway for anyting Acutely serious. I smell a rat here.

That kind of inaccurate gossip is silly, WRH performs brilliantly even with the near lowest per-patient financial support from state (see link). No cancer care in WRH even though it is designated a centre of excellence, dont you think getting onto the Min.Health about that would be a smarter course of action than spreading lies.


http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0226/health.html

comeraghs

It's another scam by FG & Phil Hogan to turn Waterford into a ghost town & pander to the vested interests in Kilkenny & Cork.

catbear

Max you're the one who started this thread on something overheard. Pot, meet Kettle.

Max Powers

catbear wrote: »

Max you're the one who started this thread on something overheard. Pot, meet Kettle.

What im typing here is repeating what a senator said on radio that a report is about to be released, not idle chit chat. As you may know, these reports are often leaked as a kite flying exercise by sucessive govts. i also pointed out facts about WRH. im surprised none of the various posters here seem to care about having a good regional hospital to serve the region, cancer care etc etc or cuts to regional hospital care. This is bigger than WRH as i have said, its the whole region.

road_high

comeraghs wrote: »

It's another scam by FG & Phil Hogan to turn Waterford into a ghost town & pander to the vested interests in Kilkenny & Cork.

Oh please...

road_high

Max Powers wrote: »

What im typing here is repeating what a senator said on radio that a report is about to be released, not idle chit chat. As you may know, these reports are often leaked as a kite flying exercise by sucessive govts. i also pointed out facts about WRH. im surprised none of the various posters here seem to care about having a good regional hospital to serve the region, cancer care etc etc or cuts to regional hospital care. This is bigger than WRH as i have said, its the whole region.

Any links to said interview? Who is the Senator?
I want to look objectively at the pros and cons here but I just don't have enough facts. WRH is important for sure but for many highly specialised treatments I don't think people are too bothered about going a bit further to Dublin to it's centres of excellence and the experience they bring. And the reassurance that no doubt offers.

road_high

mydogjack wrote: »

Ah this is a farce. W.R.H is riddled with bugs, and to be honest I'd rather take my chances in Dublin. W.R.H is our 'regional' but no Cancer, paeds etc. Seriously would not bother me as we have to travel to Dublin anyway for anyting Acutely serious. I smell a rat here.

Yep. My point exactly. Anything major is invariably referred to Dublin for Kilkenny. I very rarely hear of anyone reffered to WRH so I'm not sure what the big change for Kilkenny patients would be. Nobody seems to be able to answer that.

Dozen Wicked Words

mfitzy wrote: »

Yep. My point exactly. Anything major is invariably referred to Dublin for Kilkenny. I very rarely hear of anyone reffered to WRH so I'm not sure what the big change for Kilkenny patients would be. Nobody seems to be able to answer that.

Most specialties are WRH based, all visiting consultants who visit Lukes are based there so I am surprised you don't hear of people being referred there. Neuro and paeds apart everything else I can think of is routinely referred to Waterford.

Victor

Max Powers wrote: »

you would rather travel 100miles to dublin than 30 to WRH for major/urgent work?

The words "major" and "urgent" are not synonymous. If you need major and urgent work, you probably aren't doing the driving.

Medical care needs to be provided at the appropriate level at appropriate locations. Doing brain surgery in Ballygobackwards doesn't make sense as the surgeon there has never done brain surgery. What you do want is to deal with people who deal with the same type of cases day in, day out - that is how you get the best care. In specialist treatment, that means there will only be a certain number of places that can do that treatment.

Would you prefer to die in Kilkenny or Waterford than be treated in Dublin or Cork?

fuzzy dunlop

mfitzy wrote: »

Yep. My point exactly. Anything major is invariably referred to Dublin for Kilkenny. I very rarely hear of anyone reffered to WRH so I'm not sure what the big change for Kilkenny patients would be. Nobody seems to be able to answer that.

Like it or not Waterford is your main hospital.It is also closer to all of Kilkenny than any Dublin Hospital. That is before you even take into consideration things like traffic congestion. Serious Trauma Incidents are directed to WRH from anywhere South of Carlow e.g Car accidents drownings etc. Its also easy to say travelling to Dublin isn't an issue if your are under fifty.However it is a different storey entirely for geriatric patients or people with disabilities.

fuzzy dunlop

Victor wrote: »

The words "major" and "urgent" are not synonymous. If you need major and urgent work, you probably aren't doing the driving.

Medical care needs to be provided at the appropriate level at appropriate locations. Doing brain surgery in Ballygobackwards doesn't make sense as the surgeon there has never done brain surgery. What you do want is to deal with people who deal with the same type of cases day in, day out - that is how you get the best care. In specialist treatment, that means there will only be a certain number of places that can do that treatment.

Would you prefer to die in Kilkenny or Waterford than be treated in Dublin or Cork?

No I would prefer to have the same treatment available in our region.We have the population to support it.No one is suggesting putting anything in ballygobackwards. This is a straw man arguement.

catbear

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

Like it or not Waterford is your main hospital.It is also closer to all of Kilkenny than any Dublin Hospital. That is before you even take into consideration things like traffic congestion. Serious Trauma Incidents are directed to WRH from anywhere South of Carlow e.g Car accidents drownings etc. Its also easy to say travelling to Dublin isn't an issue if your are under fifty.However it is a different storey entirely for geriatric patients or people with disabilities.

So you think it's acceptable that a patient go to Waterford first just to counter some waterford persecution complex when what the best treatment the patient needs is only available in Dublin?

fuzzy dunlop

catbear wrote: »

So you think it's acceptable that a patient go to Waterford first just to counter some waterford persecution complex when what the best treatment the patient needs is only available in Dublin?

Turkeys Vote for Christmas after all:rolleyes: No that is not what I said. What I said is there is enough people in the region already to justify most services being retained in the region. That is YOUR region as well.Any rationalisation should therefore be done within that region.What this is is that the population of the region is potentially being used to maintain services in Cork and Dublin. Explain how this is a result for anyone in Kilkenny. If it is just about administration that is fine as lomg as it doesn'r affect services but we don't know.And if it is then prepare to see the back of the HSE offices in KK.

catbear

The canal walk is around the back of the HSE office, thanks but I'm not into whatever kinky stuff you're into to.

Anyway it a result for any person if they're not diverted from the treatment they need. Splitting the difference castlecomer is definitely closer to Dublin timewise.

fuzzy dunlop

catbear wrote: »

The canal walk is around the back of the HSE office, thanks but I'm not into whatever kinky stuff you're into to..

Well you seem to be the expert on the canal walk. I wasn't aware anything at all went on there so I'm sure we won't meet.

catbear wrote: »

. Splitting the difference castlecomer is definitely closer to Dublin timewise.

No it isn't. But even if it was it has nothing to do with the arguement because for at least 20000 Kilkenny people living adjacent to Waterford WRH is there nearest hosptial. Maybe half the county if you go as far as Mullinavat. The point is WRH is as important to Kilkenny as St Lukes is.

catbear

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

Well you seem to be the expert on the canal walk. I wasn't aware anything at all went on there so I'm sure we won't meet.



No it isn't. But even if it was it has nothing to do with the arguement because for at least 20000 Kilkenny people living adjacent to Waterford WRH is there nearest hosptial.

So Castlecomer people don't really matter?

Plus, you're the one who brought up going around the back of the HSE office. Thank you but no, not my scene so please stop bringing it up. There are other forums with likeminded people for that.

fuzzy dunlop

catbear wrote: »

So Castlecomer people don't really matter?

Plus, you're the one who brought up going around the back of the HSE office. Thank you but no, not my scene so please stop bringing it up. There are other forums with likeminded people for that.

Actually you brought it up.I never mentioned the back of the HSE.I also never said castlecomer people did not matter.Learn to read!.

Max Powers

mfitzy wrote: »

Any links to said interview? Who is the Senator?
I want to look objectively at the pros and cons here but I just don't have enough facts. WRH is important for sure but for many highly specialised treatments I don't think people are too bothered about going a bit further to Dublin to it's centres of excellence and the experience they bring. And the reassurance that no doubt offers.

Senator is David Cullinane, interview was on WLR so you can check there, i doubt it though, its about a week ago now.
Fair enough, very highly specialised yeah but most specialisims things like cancer (specialist), heart problems etc should be in the region no? As i said, WRH is meant to be a centre of excellence for the region. I can understand some peoples apathy about this (as 1 poster pointed out, if you live in North KK, Dublin may be handier) but as far as i can estimate everything south of KK itself should be very concerned.

catbear

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

.And if it is then prepare to see the back of the HSE offices in KK.

I can read fine fluffy. You're the one with interest in the back of the HSE office.

fuzzy dunlop

catbear wrote: »

I can read fine fluffy. You're the one with interest in the back of the HSE office.

No you obviously can't read properly.And you're obviously a pervert. You've turned a thread about a hospital merger into something about your own nocturnal fantasies. I never mentioned the back of the HSE. You were the first to mention it as well as the sexual inuendo. I said you will see the back of the HSE if the merger is about administration.In other words the administration will be moved from Kilkenny. I wasn't talking about a location behind the HSE buildings you idiot.

Captain Havoc

Cut it out you two, fuzzy dunlop infracted for personal abuse, catbear you're borderline for winding fuzzy dunlop up. Back on topic please.

catbear

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

.And if it is then prepare to see the back of the HSE offices in KK.

Who's the idiot, reread your sentence. We're not mind readers so we've only got what write to understand your intent. Plus starting a discussion without a verifiable source is just sloppy. Tighten up.

Edit to add: just saw mod notice, will keep it civil.

fuzzy dunlop

catbear wrote: »

Who's the idiot, reread your sentence. We're not mind readers so we've only got what write to understand your intent. Plus starting a discussion without a verifiable source is just sloppy. Tighten up.

Edit to add: just saw mod notice, will keep it civil.

Well as I am not a mind reader perhaps you can tell me what goes on behind the HSE seeing as you brought this enigmatic place into the conversation.I used a turn of of phrase that is common parlance in the English Language wherever it is spoken.You associated it with some unspecified anti-social activity. And btw I didn't start the thread.So keep your own side of the street clean and tighten up on your reading.

catbear

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

Well as I am not a mind reader perhaps you can tell me what goes on behind the HSE seeing as you brought this enigmatic place into the conversation.I used a turn of of phrase that is common parlance in the English Language wherever it is spoken.You associated it with some unspecified anti-social activity. And btw I didn't start the thread.So keep your own side of the street clean and tighten up on your reading.

As already noted to the mod i'm keeping this civil, if you have a problem with that use the report button. Otherwise we're done.

Mattshanahan

The report coming before Minister Reilly is purported to support a twinning of hospitals within the region with academic centres. This would see Kilkenny / Wexford services being referred to dublins maters or st James and Waterford /south Tipp moving to cork regional hospital. The rationale behind this is mired in medial politics seeing both Dublin and Cork regions grabbing a larger share of the shrinking healthcare budget by stripping resources from the south east region.
The resulting downgrade of the south east regional hospital in Waterford will result in the loss of cardiology intervention and cancer services in the south east and other disciplines will follow thereafter. Considering the delay in accessing hospital services in Dublin and cork presently why do people assume that these hospitals can accommodate the increased patient loads from the south east region? In addition emergency medical intervention will require south Kilkenny and Wexford people to find ambulance service to Dublin. I wish you luck! The golden hour for regional patients will be spent traversing to Dublin or Cork AFTER you find an ambulance. Anybody who thinks that this move is progressive in any way or will advance patient care in the south east region is living in cloud cuckooland and has obviously not educated themselves on the issues. This policy must be rejected by all citizens in the south east region or lives will be lost as a result of this policy change. North Kilkenny people may feel they are equidistant to Dublin for services but for south Kilkenny patients I would rather depend on the cardiology suite in Waterford within 30 miles than Dublin and it's ambulance services. Perhaps we should wait until we have an adequate death toll due to extended delays in accessing emergency medical care from this
Policy change so that we can say we told you so!

WAKE UP SOUTH EAST REGION- OUR HEALTHCARE PROVISION IS UNDER ASSAULT AND WE ARE SITTING ON OUR HANDS

Dozen Wicked Words

Not going to quote your paragraph Matt but couple of points. So really you are fighting for South Kilkennys concerns, effectively you want to spilt services further?? Also a minor point about Cardiology, not sure if you knew, but if you get referred for an Angiogram or Angioplasty or Pacemaker insertion from Kilkenny you wouldn't go to WRH, you would go to St. James.

Dunmoreroader

People in Kilkenny should be outraged about the threatened downgrading of Waterford Regional Hospital and the breakup of the South-East Hospitals Group. If this goes ahead, people in Kilkenny will have to travel to already over-crowd Dublin hospitals for acute services rather than to Waterford Regional, not to mention the job losses for, yes, people from S. kilkenny too.
It will be a disaster for the entire South-East region which the government are intent on breaking up anyway.
A march is being held in Waterford to protest about it next Saturday details on;
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=334379116660776&set=a.200780250020664.40741.188354617929894&type=1#!/SaveWaterford
Come down and support Kilkenny's acute regional hospital or why not organise a local protest? After all you've got the senior govt. minister and like all politicians, Minister Hogan hears it best from those who's votes he depends on.

comeraghs

Please! People of Kilkenny! Fight & fight hard to preserve services in the South-East!

Cabaal

comeraghs wrote: »

Please! People of Kilkenny! Fight & fight hard to preserve services in the South-East!

Your posts are pretty amusing,

You "appear" to care about the south east but you very easily turn on others in the south easy at every chance you can get...last weeks announcement about Kilkenny shows just that.

You appear incapable of thinking of the bigger picture in the south east when it comes to investment unless Waterford gets it above anyone else and the only time you will post anything positive in this forum is when you want support for a Waterford compaign.

road_high

Cabaal wrote: »

Your posts are pretty amusing,

You "appear" to care about the south east but you very easily turn on others in the south easy at every chance you can get...last weeks announcement about Kilkenny shows just that.

You appear incapable of thinking of the bigger picture in the south east when it comes to investment unless Waterford gets it above anyone else and the only time you will post anything positive in this forum is when you want support for a Waterford compaign.

My thoughts exactly...when a very legitimate investment is being made in KK tourism it is seen by this poster as "parochial" and "stealing Waterford's money" apparently. This is despite the fact Kilkenny's profile is far higher in this regard.
But when it comes to the hospital issue then we are supposed to stand full square behind them after reading such tripe previous...give me a break...

comeraghs

I have no problem with investing in Kilkenny. My problem was that Phil Hogan said "Ireland had no money" when amalgamating Waterford city & county but then found 5.5 m to invest in his own parish.


Are you really so anti-Waterford that you want WRH to lose it's services to Dublin & Cork?

Can you not see that travelling 40/45 minutes to WRH from most of county Kilkenny is better for Kk people than travelling 90 mins or more depending on traffic to a Dublin hospital.


https://www.facebook.com/keith.onullain#!/events/503665246317907/

road_high

comeraghs wrote: »

I have no problem with investing in Kilkenny. My problem was that Phil Hogan said "Ireland had no money" when amalgamating Waterford city & county but then found 5.5 m to invest in his own parish.


Are you really so anti-Waterford that you want WRH to lose it's services to Dublin & Cork?

Can you not see that travelling 40/45 minutes to WRH from most of county Kilkenny is better for Kk people than travelling 90 mins or more depending on traffic to a Dublin hospital.


https://www.facebook.com/keith.onullain#!/events/503665246317907/

You clearly do though...."stealing Waterford's money" was/is your exact phrase in another thread so I find it a little hard to listen to when the shoe is on the other foot.

comeraghs

Don't listen then!
These services aren't going to be transferred to Kilkenny, They will be in Dublin, Are you happy to travel to Dublin rather than Waterford, If you are, then don't support the protest, if you aren't then please do.

Cabaal

comeraghs wrote: »

I have no problem with investing in Kilkenny.

comeraghs, nonsense and lies on your part....you dislike Kilkenny as a whole and its clear from your previous posts.

My problem was that Phil Hogan said "Ireland had no money" when amalgamating Waterford city & county but then found 5.5 m to invest in his own parish.

5.5million is a one off investment in Kilkenny, same as the 1.5million Waterford is getting this year and the 9.5million Waterford got when Ireland was also broke in 2010 (you didn't complain about that!).

Merging city and county councils is a long term cost shaving and its happening to Limerick as well...not just Waterford,

Are you really so anti-Waterford that you want WRH to lose it's services to Dublin & Cork?

I'm not anti-Waterford and never have been, I feel Waterford has made many of its own mistakes for example how it views people it elects regardless of the party....the long and short of it is it turns of them regardless of good or bad they've done.

As for WRH before I'd comment on stuff being taken out of it I'd like to see the facts and figures, whats been taken, why and the numbers to support this.

road_high

comeraghs wrote: »

Don't listen then!
These services aren't going to be transferred to Kilkenny, They will be in Dublin, Are you happy to travel to Dublin rather than Waterford, If you are, then don't support the protest, if you aren't then please do.

None of the arguments here have been very convincing. Much hysteria with little facts. I would certainly not like to see WRH downgraded from what it offers at present but at the sametime, would I be that bothered about having to travel an extra half hour to a specialised Dublin hospital with all the expertise and specialisties more positive outcomes for cetain treatments? Not particularly.

fuzzy dunlop

Cabaal wrote: »

I'm not anti-Waterford and never have been, I feel Waterford has made many of its own mistakes for example how it views people it elects regardless of the party....the long and short of it is it turns of them regardless of good or bad they've done.

What complete nonsense.Care to elaborate with an example?

fuzzy dunlop

mfitzy wrote: »

None of the arguments here have been very convincing. Much hysteria with little facts. I would certainly not like to see WRH downgraded from what it offers at present but at the sametime, would I be that bothered about having to travel an extra half hour to a specialised Dublin hospital with all the expertise and specialisties more positive outcomes for cetain treatments? Not particularly.

It's not an extra half hour.For most of kilkenny it is far more than that especially even without traffic congestion. Also it might be alright for you in full health but for sick and elderly the journey could be excruciating.

blobbyblob

Aside from all the parochial arguments going on here which are muddying the waters, here's a little bit of context as to what went on at last weeks meeting regarding the potential realignment of health services in the south east via waterford councillor mary roche..

cllrmaryroche.blogspot.ie/2012/11/notes-from-wrh-meeting-tonight-11112.html?m=1

without knowing a great deal about it, my perception of the situation is

1. this 'proposal' still has to be submitted for the governments consideration
2. a committee was originally tasked to examine this issue but has only met once
3. the chairman of the committee has put the current 'leaked' version together by his own accord
4. should it be submitted and adopted there will be up to 1000 job losses
5. the link between wrh, rcs and wit would be damaged or broken
6. kilkenny and wexford will align with dublin for acute services and waterford and clonmel with cork
7. people will die without rapid response and appropriate local treatment (i presume st lukes, wexford and waterford will still operate a full ambulance service???)
8. waterford are totally against the proposal, kilkenny are split and no idea where clonmel and wexford lie

apologies if i have over simplified this but ive spoken to people over the last few days who are running around with hair on fire but have no knowledge whatsoever about whats going on.

there are two issues at play here
1. the threat and implication of the report and
2. the approach being taken by waterford representatives.

if this is truly a regional issue surely last weeks meeting should have had equal representation from all of the region rather than just waterford. Meeting minutes saying "we need to get kilkenny onside" only serve to be divisive or maybe thats just me.

Hope some of this helps...

road_high

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

It's not an extra half hour.For most of kilkenny it is far more than that especially even without traffic congestion. Also it might be alright for you in full health but for sick and elderly the journey could be excruciating.

Depends on which Dublin hospital. No-one seems to be able to answer thast one for me?. I can be in Tallaght in an hour. Wrh would be at least 35-40 mins (all going well).
My own personal opinion/choice would always be the Dublin hospital. They have the specialities and expertise that for me far outweighs any time savings or local preferences. I'd rather feel assured I was getting the best treatment possible if it meant traveling a bit further, then so be it.
Would St. Lukes for instance be sharing consultants with a Dublin hospital? I can't see how that would be a wholly bad thing again given their expertise and patient through put that would exist in the Capital.

puddie

Hi I'm from north Kilkenny but I work in WRH have done for the last 12 years and while yes I acknowledge that the people of Waterford do indeed suffer from a healthy dose of paranoia when it comes to Kilkenny this is not one of those times.
The proposed restructuring of the south east health service will destroy the region. As it stands the south east has 3 general hospitals Kilkenny, Clonmel and Wexford and the regional hospital in Waterford these 4 hospitals serve a population of around 500,000.
Now I think we can all agree that while the service is not perfect it does work for the majority of people most of the time.
The suggested changes include the complete downgrading of WRH with the loss of orthopedic, ENT, Eye, Vascular Surgery, Cancer services and Cardiac services. These services will be split between Dublin and cork, you will have 500,000 added into the catchment area of other hospitals that are already running at capacity.
Now how will that affect the people of Kilkenny, ok at the moment yes some people may already be referred to Dublin for planned procedures but in an emergency a lot of people come to Waterford so lets just say you collapse in danesfort with a heart attack you need angioplasty there is a 90min window where this is successful by the time the ambulance is with you will make it to Waterford in time you won't make it to Dublin. As for orthopaedic kilcreene is serviced by visiting consultants that are based in Waterford if they are no longer there it will close. Colorectal Cancer Surgery and screening for the region takes place in Waterford it will be gone people some at the vulnerable time of there life will have either travel to cork or Dublin.
They are just a few examples there are many more but I'm not scaremongering when I say if this downgrading goes ahead it will lead to needless deaths.
Instead of decimating the south east health services we should actually be fighting to get more because as a region we are constantly performing well.
Least we forget the report that has been leaked is by a professor based in cork who undoubtedly has a bias where cork is concerned and wishes to bring more services there but at what cost to the rest of us.

I urge you all to inform yourselves on this topic it is of the upmost importance to the region we need to keep our hospitals strong we need to keep our services here we need to keep our own people looked after.

road_high

Hi puddie, thanks for the input. Some definite insider food for thought there.
Was unaware so many servcies could leave WRH? 'Cos all I was reading until now was kind of mass hysteria. I figured there would be sharing with Cork rather than moving it all down there. That seems crazy in terms of how much has been spent over the years putting those there in the first place.

fuzzy dunlop

puddie wrote: »

Hi I'm from north Kilkenny but I work in WRH have done for the last 12 years and while yes I acknowledge that the people of Waterford do indeed suffer from a healthy dose of paranoia when it comes to Kilkenny this is not one of those times.
The proposed restructuring of the south east health service will destroy the region. As it stands the south east has 3 general hospitals Kilkenny, Clonmel and Wexford and the regional hospital in Waterford these 4 hospitals serve a population of around 500,000.
Now I think we can all agree that while the service is not perfect it does work for the majority of people most of the time.
The suggested changes include the complete downgrading of WRH with the loss of orthopedic, ENT, Eye, Vascular Surgery, Cancer services and Cardiac services. These services will be split between Dublin and cork, you will have 500,000 added into the catchment area of other hospitals that are already running at capacity.
Now how will that affect the people of Kilkenny, ok at the moment yes some people may already be referred to Dublin for planned procedures but in an emergency a lot of people come to Waterford so lets just say you collapse in danesfort with a heart attack you need angioplasty there is a 90min window where this is successful by the time the ambulance is with you will make it to Waterford in time you won't make it to Dublin. As for orthopaedic kilcreene is serviced by visiting consultants that are based in Waterford if they are no longer there it will close. Colorectal Cancer Surgery and screening for the region takes place in Waterford it will be gone people some at the vulnerable time of there life will have either travel to cork or Dublin.
They are just a few examples there are many more but I'm not scaremongering when I say if this downgrading goes ahead it will lead to needless deaths.
Instead of decimating the south east health services we should actually be fighting to get more because as a region we are constantly performing well.
Least we forget the report that has been leaked is by a professor based in cork who undoubtedly has a bias where cork is concerned and wishes to bring more services there but at what cost to the rest of us.

I urge you all to inform yourselves on this topic it is of the upmost importance to the region we need to keep our hospitals strong we need to keep our services here we need to keep our own people looked after.

Thanks for the post puddie. As WRH is one of the busiest Aand E'in the country if not the busiest it does rather well considering he funding it is allocated. If I am not mistaken WRH,Kilkenny and Wexford have always been among the most efficient in the country along with Mullingar if I remember correctly. What will happen here is each of the South Eastern hospitals will become periphery hospitals in a larger region.Also I think any assumption that a Dublin Hospital will have more expertise is incorrect. Unless it is the Mater or Beaumont I doubt very much it will be an improvement on WRH. There is no fat on the hospitals in the SE region. Any inefficiences that exist in the working practice of the Dublin and Cork hospitals should be addressed and any other hospital for that matter.

puddie

mfitzy wrote: »

Hi puddie, thanks for the input. Some definite insider food for thought there.
Was unaware so many servcies could leave WRH? 'Cos all I was reading until now was kind of mass hysteria. I figured there would be sharing with Cork rather than moving it all down there. That seems crazy in terms of how much has been spent over the years putting those there in the first place.

You are right it is bonkers considering the millions that have been spent on WRH in the last 5 years new A&E building new medical doctors building. But in some ways I'm not surprised there has never been a 10year plan in this country for health services let alone a 30 or 50 year plan which is what's actually needed yes there has been nice buzz words like planning for a better future but nothing concrete so what you are left with is seperate plans getting greenlighted by different governments and money going here there and everywhere without any proper overview.
I can assure if this goes ahead in 10 years time a different government will be trying to reverse it because it cannot work you cannot add more people into already full hospitals in Dublin and cork and expect everything to be ok it won't be it will at the very least much longer waiting times for elective surgery and the awfull prospect of watching your loved ones languish on hospital trolleys in A&E's with all the indignity that brings.
I also forgot to say the neonatal unit would also be gone from WRH so as it stands its bad enough to have to move a newborn from Kilkenny to Waterford and where posdible I know the obstetricians take over mams care in WRH too so she can be with baby this wont happen with a child moved to Dublin not until the national children's hospital is built anyhow, so newborn will be moved to Dublin on its own with no mam there to make those oh so important bonding stages in the first few days.

As I said I just want people to be informed this will affect Kilkenny too and we should be looking to keep the south east strong coz otherwise with the way we are going we are going to be left with just green fields from Dublin to cork