The president of the College of Anaesthetists has agreed to intervene in a bid to resolve ongoing difficulties at relating to anaesthetic services at Monaghan hospital
The Minister for Health has meanwhile said he is committed to the future of the hospital as a fully operational facility. However, he did not say when full services will be restored at the hospital.
Míchéal Martin and members of the North Eastern Health Board met this afternoon to discuss the situation at the Hospital. Yesterday, a number of patients were sent home after surgery was cancelled due to the lack of anaesthetists.
The North Eastern Health Board said the difficulty arose because the hospital could not recruit non-EU doctors.
The election to the Dáil of Independent candidate Paudge Connolly on a hospital ticket illustrated the importance of Monaghan Hospital to local people. Mr Connolly was accompanied by Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and members of the Health Board in meeting Minister Martin in an effort to reach agreement on the future of the hospital.
This meeting came amid the threat of industrial action. A spokesperson for the Irish Nurses Association said earlier that cutbacks meant that the hospital has been downgraded from an acute facility to a "cottage hospital". Patsy Doyle had warned that nurses would consider strike action if the situation did not improve.
