Lives will be lost – Connolly

Lives will be placed at serious risk if a recommendation to transfer in-patient surgery from Roscommon County Hospital to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe is implemented, Cllr. Domnick Connolly (below) has warned this week.  ‘If the surgery department is transferred to Portiuncula Hospital then Roscommon will be left operating on a 9-5 basis carrying out day surgery procedures and investigations,’ stated Cllr. Connolly.  ‘We have already seen the start of the downgrading of the hospital in the form of the under-resourcing of staff that led to the accident and emergency department being taken off call for all GP referrals and ambulance admissions recently.  ‘The planned transfer of the surgery department to Portiuncula Hospital can only spell further bad news for the accident and emergency department and ultimately the people of Roscommon.  ‘The withdrawal of in-patient surgery at Roscommon County Hospital will lead to the downgrading of both the accident and emergency unit and the in-patient medical and coronary care departments at the Hospital. This is something which is completely unacceptable to the people of Roscommon and to the Fine Gael Party, both locally and nationally. ‘It is clear that the political will is not present at Government level to protect the vital services provided at smaller hospitals such as Roscommon. If the recommendation to transfer the surgery department to Portiuncula Hospital is accepted, it is a decision that will ultimately cost lives,’ concluded Cllr. Connolly.