Navan hospital: Critically ill or ‘unstable’ patients to be diverted from next week

A memo from management to staff said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has written to the HSE board indicating the first phase of a transformation plan will start on December 12.

It said unstable and critically ill patients, including those with abdominal pains, will instead be brought to an “appropriate level three or four hospital” to be provided with the “best chance of survival”.

The letter said the decision represents a “partial bypass” of ambulances to the hospital.

It said the national ambulance service will continue to bring patients who are less sick to its emergency department.

The minister has not yet sanctioned phase two of the transformation that will mean the emergency department is reconfigured to a 24-hour medical assessment unit.

The letter said a date for this has yet to be confirmed.

It assured staff that no workers would lose their jobs, there would be no involuntary redeployment to other hospitals or healthcare organisations, or outsourcing of services.

The Meath Council of Trade Unions called on the government to prevent the “imminent threat” to the hospital due to “unilateral” changes to services outlined in the letter.

Council secretary Moira Leydon said immediate discussions must take place with all members of staff on the impact of any potential redeployment of workers.

“For some time now there has been discussion at senior HSE level, Department of Health and hospital groups level relating to the transformation and reconfiguration of emergency and intensive care services at our Lady’s Hospital Navan,” said the staff memo from hospital manager Anita Brennan.

“You will be aware the Our Lady’s Hospital Navan is currently bypassed for stroke, trauma, cardiac arrest, paediatrics and obstetrics…As per my previous correspondence I would like to remind you that once reconfiguration takes place the hospital will be treating more patients, not fewer and in a safer environment.”

It said that over the coming weeks, staff representatives will be involved in talks and will have an opportunity to discuss operational policies, procedures and routine changes that may affect them.

Meath Council of Trade Unions called on the Government to halt the threatened closure of the emergency department, following a meeting on Sunday.

It said workers had contacted it to express fears about the future of the hospital.

“Hospital staff are very concerned and angry over the failure of the HSE to engage with us and allay the real employment concerns triggered by the diversion of ambulance services from Navan to Drogheda,” said Siptu shop steward and council member, Ann Rochford.

Ms Leydon said the council is calling on the Government to immediately remove the “unilateral” changes to the emergency department and ambulance services in Navan and calm concerns among the community and staff in the lead up to Christmas.

She said the council is calling on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to acknowledge the concerns of 17 consultants who warned about the risk to patients from the diversion of ambulance services from the Meath Hospital to the “already overcrowded” Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Ms Leydon said Minister for Finance, Pascal Donohoe should release some of the billions of euros at his disposal to finance improvements to the Navan hospital’s emergency department.