Dublin People - Three year wait for hospital scanner

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Three year wait for hospital scanner

Thursday, 26 June 2008

It has been revealed that Blanchardstown’s Connolly Hospital will have to wait up to three years for its own life-saving MRI scanner.
Currently, patients in need of the diagnosis are referred to Beaumont, the Mater and private hospitals.
According to local TD Joan Burton (Lab), the equipment is long overdue and badly needed.
“The MRI scanner, which would cost less than e2 million to develop in the existing hospital, was promised over eight years ago as part of phase one of the hospital’s reconstruction,” Deputy Burton explained.
“Then it was promised for phase two. Now it appears it is not going to be provided to the public hospital at all.”
She added: “Instead, it will be part of the private hospital in the co-location plan when the public hospital will then have to hire it out.”
Connolly Hospital is a major teaching hospital that caters for a catchment area that extends into West Dublin, Meath and Kildare.
The news comes in the wake of a recent protest to highlight the number of positions which have remained unfilled since last year.
Northside People reported how staff at the hospital claimed patients and the workforce were suffering as a result of HSE spending constraints.
According to Deputy Burton, the budget restraints are part of a wider plan.
“The HSE seem hell bent on prioritising the building of a private hospital in Connolly Hospital’s grounds and to run down the public hospital so as to create a demand for private care,” she claimed.
A spokesperson for the HSE clarified the matter and confirmed there is no immediate plan to provide the diagnostic equipment.
“When Connolly hospital identified its capital requirements for 2008/2009 an MRI scanner was not among the hospital’s immediate priorities,” it was stated. “This was on the basis of the current numbers of patients presenting at the hospital for this service and the clinical requirement for hospitals to treat large volumes of patients to ensure consistent quality service provision.
“The potential for developing an MRI service at Connolly Hospital was identified in the context of the development of the co-located private hospital and the associated increased patient volumes. However, no decision will be taken on this matter until the HSE board has deliberated and has given a final decision on the co-located private hospital at Connolly Hospital.”
The spokesperson added: “The HSE is aware that the hospital has experienced increased activity levels for diagnostics and will continue to monitor these on an ongoing basis with a view to developing increased capacity if required.”

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