Alan Kelly is concerned that a move to extend opening hours at the Medical Assessment Unit at Nenagh Hospital is not being matched by the allocation of resources necessary to run the facility over its new operating hours.

Kelly calls for more resources for Nenagh Hospital's Medical Assessment Unit

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A move to extend opening times this week at the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) at Nenagh Hospital has been welcomed by Labour TD Alan Kelly, who has raised concerns over whether the resources are sufficient.

On the move to open the MAU in Nenagh from last Monday, October 14,  from 8am to 12pm, Deputy Kelly said: “This is in theory is a very good idea and something that, if resourced properly, would really help with the issues that local people from North Tipperary are experiencing in UHL.”

The MAU in the local hospital had been operating from 8am to 8pm and the opening times are now to extend from 8pm to 12pm.

Deputy Kelly said he had concerns that there isn’t the appropriate resources being put in place for the extended opening hours.

“I have written to the Regional Manager of the HSE with the questions about this proposal,” he said.

He has asked if the move is taking place with HSE staff, “and if not how is this being resourced?”

Deputy Kelly has asked how many patients will be treated each night “and what are the clinical pathways being used to facilitate this?”

He has asked: “Will GPs and Shannondoc be able to refer patients between these hours to MAU?... Will there be administrative staff, porters, kitchen staff, labs available during these times?...Will there be capacity in Nenagh to admit patients that arrive at these times if they need admission?..., and what is the plan to communicate this change to the public and indeed GPs and Shannondoc over the coming days?”

ANSWERS NEEDED

“These questions need to be answered,” said Deputy Kelly.

He added: “As it stands for the hours of 8pm-12pm, will GPs and Shannondoc be able to make referrals to Nenagh MAU? Or will it be the case that patients cannot access the MAU unless they are actually in A&E in UHL and have been seen by a doctor and bloods and X-rays are already been done. Then the doctor there would have to refer them?

“If it is the latter then it is sub-optimal and very confusing, to say the least. I’m not sure how effective it will be and could result in trolleys across Nenagh hospital.

“Why can’t the HSE resource up this change properly? They really need to explain clearly what their plan is,” Deputy Kelly concluded.

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