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Donegal surgery waiting list
halved
08.05.08
THE list of Donegal
patients waiting more than a year for an operation
at Letterkenny General Hospital has halved, it's
been revealed.
Last year, more than 1,200 Donegal people were
waiting over 12 months for an operation but this has
been slashed to 600.
The figures were released by Donegal Sinn Féin
following a recent meeting with hospital management.
Buncrana-based councillor Pádraig MacLochlainn
described the three hour meeting as "intensive,
frank, and informative".
He particularly welcomed confirmation that the
waiting list had halved at the county's acute
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"We were impressed with
the management's committment to a wide range of
matters of public interest including cancer
services, dialysis services, MRSA prevention and
infection control, progressing plans for additional
capacity at the hospital including a new A&E ward
and extra beds, sexual assault victims facilities |
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and services, and
overall efficiency within the hospital," said Cllr.
MacLochlainn.
"They were not in denial about any of the challenges
the hospital faces and were respectful and detailed
in their responses to our queries. Most importantly
they demonstrated their pride in the hospital's
achievements and commitment to continuing to improve
this crucial public service."
The Sinn Féin delegation that met hospital manager
Shaun Murphy and director of nursing, Loretta
Kinsella were Senator Pearse Doherty and councillors
Pádraig MacLochlainn, Gerry McMonagle, Tony McDaid
and Marie Therese Gallagher.
Cllr. MacLochlainn said they were confident from
management's responses that the surgery waiting list
would continue to drop.
"There are many challenges ahead for Letterkenny
General Hospital but it is crucial that our public
health system is adequately resourced.
We in Sinn Féin are not going to condone any loss of
services from our public hospitals to the new
private Wyndale Clinic. If the Government are going
to spend taxpayers' money in Donegal on improved
cancer services, additional consultants, surgeons,
or capacity, then it cannot be at Letterkenny
General Hospital's expense," added Cllr.
MacLochlainn. |
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