Donegal doctors 'impressed' with Health Minister following 'constructive' meeting
The meeting was arranged by the Minister in response to 171 clinicians signing a letter calling for a pause and a review of the decision to select Sligo University Hospital as the site of a new surgical hub in the north-west
A delegation of Consultants and General Practitioners in Donegal has described a meeting with the Minister for Health as “constructive” - with a follow-up planned for two weeks’ time
The group met with Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill this evening to discuss Letterkenny University Hospital and the positioning of a surgical hub in the north-west.
The clinicians presented data on geography, population and demographics, day case numbers, staffing numbers and a range of other key metrics.
“We had a really constructive meeting with the Minister,” Dr Pádraig McGuinness, GP, said this evening. “She was clearly in listening mode and was clearly interested in Letterkenny University Hospital. She went through the data with us and we answered her questions. It was a very informative meeting for both sides”.
The meeting was arranged by the Minister in response to 171 clinicians signing a letter calling for a pause and a review of the decision to select Sligo University Hospital as the site of a new surgical hub in the north-west.
“The Minister is clearly very data-driven and has spent time researching the situation at LUH,” Dr Louise Moran, Consultant Anaesthetist, said.
“As evidence-based clinicians, we really welcome that approach, as all we are asking for is a level playing field when compared against patients across the country. We are simply asking for a clear comparison of the data across the hospitals and for the best evidence-based decision to be made for all the people across the north-west”.
The doctors and the Minister have agreed to meet again in two weeks' time to discuss the issues raised after both sides have had time to reflect and to gather further information.
“We are really impressed by this Minister and look forward to working with her to improve LUH,” Dr McGuinness added. “We are also looking forward to meeting her again shortly to continue our dialogue and to discuss progressing the surgical hub for the north-west.”