"No question" of Gorey Hospital closing down

"No question" of Gorey Hospital closing down
By Fintan Lambe
The Chairman of the South East committee of the Regional Health Forum, Cllr Joe Sullivan, has said he has been assured that the future of Gorey Hospital is safe and it will not close.

It was reported in the national and local media that the hospital is one f 21 publicly ran nursing homes around the country that don’t meet HIQA accommodation standards, and may be forced to close, or cut down on the number of residents, if they don’t comply with regulations by July 1.

However, Cllr Sullivan said he can’t envisage the hospital moving out of Gore. "I have been speaking to senior official in the HSE, and she told me there’s no question of Gorey closing down", he said."There are two new palliative care rooms at the hospital due to be officially opened on January 30".

"The official said she’s aware of the HIQA report and that it will have to be looked at", he added. "I’m working as closely as possible with HIQA and the HSE to ensure the threat of closure does not arise".

"At the moment the information I have is the hospital is safe", he continued. "But we will have to have an urgent meeting with the HSE to assurances that it is not in any danger, and ensure that any threat that may be there is non – existent any longer".

He asked Senator Michael D’Arcy to call on the Minister for Health for an assurance that there will be no change of status in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Cllr Malcolm Byrne said he received assurances form a senior HSE manager in the South East, that the HSE continues to support Gorey District Hospital, and that "there are no plans or proposals to close this facility".

"Whilst there are challenges in meeting HIQA requirements due to the age and layout of the facility, I am satisfied that we will provide for these challenges and plans have been submitted to HIQA in order to maintain this facility into the future", the official said.

Cllr Byrne described the clarification as welcome.