Hospital services: A hospital action group in the north east is seeking legal advice on the prospect of families receiving compensation for trauma they endure as a result of certain services being removed from Monaghan General Hospital.
The Monaghan Hospital Community Alliance says it will be encouraging families to mount court proceedings against health authorities and perhaps individual decision-makers if it receives advice that such actions would be likely to succeed.
It follows a number of adverse incidents after patients had to travel to other hospitals for services. In the most recent incident, Benny McCullough died in an ambulance on his way to Cavan General Hospital in October, after suffering a heart attack at his home just 300 metres from Monaghan Hospital. He couldn't be taken to his local hospital as it is off call for emergencies.
Peadar McMahon, chairman of the action group, said yesterday it was felt legal action was now the only option available to the people of Monaghan who have seen several services, including maternity services, withdrawn from their hospital. Recently, five junior doctors specialising in surgery were told their contracts would not be renewed in January, sparking concern about the range of surgery which can be provided at the hospital in the future.
"If the services are going to be withdrawn and if people are suffering unduly and deaths are occurring, there has to be some redress," he said.
The hospital action group, which met Patricia Ryan, special adviser to the Tánaiste and Minister for Health when she visited Monaghan and Cavan Hospitals on a fact-finding mission last month, is also planning to stage a protest about the downgrading of its hospital outside the Dáil tomorrow.
There will be a lunchtime vigil staged outside Monaghan Hospital on December 22nd in support of staff who, Mr McMahon said, "have suffered terribly throughout the past number of years because of all that they have been made endure".
Meanwhile, Ms Harney is due to meet all Cavan-Monaghan TDs and senators on Thursday to discuss concerns about services at both hospitals.
There has been concern about the level of adverse incidents at the surgical department in Cavan hospital since the suspension over a year ago of two of the hospital's three permanent consultant surgeons, and efforts to set up a joint surgery department between both hospitals have met opposition.
A spokesman for Ms Harney said she would "explore options" for both hospitals with the TDs and senators.