9 January 2023
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Local TD comments on Bantry Local Injuries Unit (LIU) in Bantry Hospital
Speaking today from his Cork South West Constituency, Deputy Michael Collins stated,” The news over the weekend that the Bantry Local Injuries Unit (LIU) in Bantry Hospital would be closed today Monday January 9th came as a huge shock to the large population which it serves in the vast area of west Cork. This brand new unit which cost millions to design and build to the highest standards was officially opened by an Taoiseach himself only four and a half months ago.”
File photo of Bantry Hospital
“The stories of the waiting times in the ED in Cork University Hospital are well documented, with some elderly and very ill patients having to sit for 50 hours before being admitted. Patients needing treatment for minor injuries, fractures, suturing of wounds minor burns etc in the west Cork area today, will have to make the long journey to CUH, and join the long queue in the already overwhelmed ED in Cork University Hospital.”
“In the LIU such as Bantry, where I believe the rota for the staff is arranged a month in advance, it defies belief that a casualty doctor cannot be sourced either through an agency or through CUH, Mallow Hospital or locally.”
“In addition to the closure of the LIU, I believe the decision to divert all patients being transported by ambulance in the West Cork to CUH has been the cause of major disruption and has wreaked havoc in the Emergency Department in CUH. This was due to the Reconfiguration of Acute Hospital Services in Cork and Kerry in 2009, which saw the closure of the night time Casualty Unit in Bantry General Hospital. This reconfiguration was undertaken nationally, and casualty units in Nenagh and Ennis were also closed in the night time. However, due to the crisis in Limerick Hospital, ambulances are once again able to take patients directly to Ennis instead of Limerick.”
The West Cork TD Michael Collins (Ind)
“There is an urgent need to reverse the protocol with regard to Bantry General Hospital, and in the event of a patient with non- life threatening injury, being transported by ambulance, the same decision must be applied to Bantry Hospital as was made this week regarding Ennis Hospital. I also think at this stage Local medical centres need to be opened up to their communities to provide minor procedures in the locality and the LIU in Bantry in my opinion also needs to be carrying out more procedures, concluded Deputy Collins.”