He added: "The 2% VAT
increase will put further pressure on the HSE,
directly resulting in increased costs of
approximately €50 million nationally. This is on top
of €543 million worth of cuts announced in last
month’s budget.
"The HSE has confirmed to me that the future
capacity of the hospital will be 30 general beds and
12 beds in the Ard Aoibhinn Alzheimers Unit, which
has a 16 bed capacity. With such a dramatic cut in
funding over a three year period, frontline services
have inevitably suffered. I am now seeking
assurances from the Minister for Health that there
will be no further cuts and that the future of the
hospital will be secured.
"I am particularly concerned that the new
Alzheimer's facility has already experienced a
reduction in beds from 16 to 12 despite the fact
that it only opened a few years ago. I am also
worried by assertions that this is to do with lack
of demand rather than a reduction in staffing.
"I believe that the demand is there for those beds.
I am going to continue to fight to ensure that the
services at Carndonagh Community Hospital are not
only retained at the existing levels, but are
reinstated in full.” |
