An Independent county councillor in Roscommon has expressed surprise that a theatre in Roscommon Hospital which has spare capacity was overlooked when elective surgeries were cancelled at Merlin Park Hospital.
Cllr. Laurence Fallon, right, has called on all parties involved in securing temporary mobile theatres for Merlin Park Hospital in Galway to work together to ensure the deadline suggested by orthopaedic consultants is met.
Cllr. Fallon was present at a meeting of hospital management and the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, where discussions were held on the closure of two operating theatres at Merlin Park.
“This is the biggest theatre complex outside Dublin and carries out 60-70 elective orthopaedic procedures every week,” explained Cllr. Fallon.
“The priority now is to get two temporary mobile theatres in place and I am calling for everyone involved from HSE estates, the orthopaedic consultants, the Minister for Health, Galway County Council and the fire services to do everything within their power to get these up and running as soon as possible.
“The consultants have suggested that these should be in place by the 2nd January 2018 and with elective surgeries now cancelled and additional patients being referred by GPs on a weekly basis, it is vital that this date is met.”
Cllr. Fallon added that he was “surprised” to learn that the theatre in Roscommon Hospital, which has spare capacity, “wasn’t deemed to be suitable as a replacement” despite consultants’ willingness to travel to carry out surgeries elsewhere.
