LETTERKENNY General
Hospital is being downgraded "under our noses" yet
no-one is listening, according to Independent
election candidate, Betty Holmes.
The Newtown-based candidate revealed figures showing
that, in 2009, Letterkenny General Hospital's budget
was €103 million with 20,762 patient discharges. She
said this was equal to funding per patient of just
over €4,916.
She said the local hospital had only 2,394 patients
fewer than Waterford Hospital yet funding for each
patient in Waterford amounted to around €6,305, in a
total budget of €146 million. According to the
figures, Sligo Hospital had 4,961 patients fewer
than Letterkenny, yet funding per patient there was
€6,645 in a total budget of €105 million.
"Our hospital and health services are in grave
danger and I’m worried that no-one is listening. We,
as people and patients, cannot stand by and let them
downgrade our hospital, it is happening right now
under our noses. Please act now in this election or
it will be too late.
"It appears from the 2009 budget allocation figures
that the lives of Donegal patients are of lesser
value than those at other hospitals."
Ms Holmes is contesting the election on the sole
issue of health. She added: "Letterkenny General
Hospital is a great hospital with an excellent team
from consultant/ medical team level down to the
porters and domestic staff. All play an important
role in our care. The general manager does a good
job in very difficult times with no money. Remember
the hospital can only work with what money is
allocated to it," she said.
"We were told a few months ago that the budget
deficit would be wiped clean for Letterkenny
Hospital, this is not so. If there were serious
inequalities in the budget at LGH in 2009, when
times were good, God only knows how it will survive
this year when the country is broke. Do not be
fooled."
She said while Letterkenny General Hospital was a
satellite unit of Galway University Hospital,
funding did not match its status as such.
"What about our cancer patients, bus loads
travelling to Galway. We have this week again seen
Letterkenny General Hospital named as one of the top
performing hospitals in the country, twice in a
matter of months. I ask how can this be?
"I am asking how the stats are suddenly showing LGH
in the top performers at a time when the general
manager has no money to run the hospital as it needs
to be.
I am convinced that this message is being sent out
by the powers that be to make us think that all is
well, when we know that services at LGH have been
greatly curtailed." |
