ANOTHER DUBLIN hospital has confirmed it will close beds in an attempt to live within its budget this year.
St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown said it will have to close a whole ward for the remainder of the year and transfer its patients “to other facilities within the hospital or facilities outside of the hospital”.
In a statement the HSE said: “To ensure effective use of resources at the hospital it has been decided to close St Brigid’s ward, which is a general ward.”
News of the move came a day after documentation released under the Freedom of Information Act showed Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, has already had to close part of one ward and will close another ward with 25 beds from the beginning of next month.
In addition, it will close a further two wards for July and August.
Overall this will result in it having more than 7,000 fewer inpatient bed days at the hospital this year.
In addition one of its theatres will close from July to December and outpatient attendances will be reduced by 8,483.
Sinn Féin said the decision to close at least 18 beds at Loughlinstown hospital would not be allowed to go unchallenged.