Tipperary TD welcomes move to open Nenagh Hospital medical assessment unit

Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill has welcomed confirmation from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that the HSE is looking into enhancing the operations of Nenagh Hospital's Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) to tackle the overcrowding issues in University Hospital Limerick.

Last week, the HSE announced that the MAU in Ennis Hospital was now taking patients from 112/999 calls directly, provided they met certain clinical criteria, and will divert patients who did not need to attend the ED in UHL.

“I am pleased to receive confirmation from Minister Stephen Donnelly at the Oireachtas members briefing that the HSE in the Mid-West is now looking to enhance the operations of Nenagh Hospital MAU, so that patients from north Tipperary can be treated here, where clinically appropriate, rather than being sent into the chaos of the A&E in UHL," he said.

Deputy Cahill said that he had raised this point with Minister Donnelly last week, just as the announcement came that Ennis Hospital would be opening up.

"I also believe that the operating hours of Nenagh Hospital need to be expanded and that a full suite of measures, including an ICU and appropriate staffing are required to support this. I am repeatedly made this point to the Minister for Health over the last number of years," said the Thurles TD.

He said that local people needed and deserved to be treated locally.

"Nenagh hospital is a fantastic facility and should be utilised more to keep patients out of UHL, where possible and clinically appropriate to do so," said Deputy Cahill.