Council seek 'constructive discussions' following Minister’s hospital threat
Thursday, 30 October 2008
by Emma Stewart.
The Minister of Health's 'carrot and stick' approach to the local hospital debate turned a corner last week as members of Omagh District Council requested, and were granted, a meeting to 'plan the way forward'.
Following recent threats that 'other' capital priorities could benefit from the £190 million investment earmarked for Omagh's new local hospital, minister McGimpsey this week inferred that services will 'evolve' over time, and indeed that those issues raised in the council's 12-point plan for health services have not been disregarded, but 'are progressing or will do so in the future'.
However, he once again emphasised that acute services 'would simply not be possible' in Omagh.
Additionally, making reference to the feasibility study commissioned by the Western Health and Social Services Board on the possibility of a midwife-led maternity unit in Tyrone's county town, he said that a 'number of complex issues regarding patient safety and sustainability' have been raised, dimming local hopes of any progress on that front.
Frustrated by the negativity demonstrated by health campaigners towards the planned facility, Mr McGimpsey underlined in a letter to the council last week that he would be 'happy to meet with a small delegation, not to debate the issues that I have already set out but to provide clarity on the way forward'.
‘Listened'
Refuting any suggestion that he has turned a deaf ear to Omagh's concerns he stressed that he has met with numerous stakeholders and has 'listened carefully'.
Unfazed by the minister's threats, local GP and member of Omagh District Council, Dr Josephine Deehan, said that "Omagh District Council will continue to lobby the minister strongly to include the acute services we believe are needed to fulfil the health care needs for the people of Omagh".
Rejecting his absolute determination that acute services cannot and will not be in Omagh, she continued: "We feel that if he removes all the acute services from Omagh it will endanger the lives of the people who live here.
“It seems he wants Omagh District Council to endorse the new local hospital for Omagh. Our position is that, while we support the development of the services that have been planned, we will continue to lobby for those vital services that are not included."
Responding to the minister's letter, party colleague and ardent health campaigner, Ross Hussey, said that the council would have welcomed the suggestion of a possible evolution of services a long time before this impasse was reached.
‘Advances'
Minister McGimpsey noted that 'service developments, including chest pain clinics and complex cardiac investigations' have been bolted on to the original DBS model outlined for Omagh, and indeed that he expected that 'the detail of all services will develop and evolve over time to reflect the most current medical and technological advances and a commitment to best practice'.
Responding to the minister's most recent missive, Mr Hussey said that the 'inferences' contained in the letter would have gone a long way towards diluting local concerns over a 'glorified health centre', had they been expressed earlier and with any conviction.
“The possibility of development that he has indicated, as well as the addition of chest pain clinics and complex cardiac investigations to the original plans for the new facility, would alone have been enough to relieve a lot of fear. But the Department failed to highlight any of these."
Recognising 'concerns among the Omagh community regarding access to emergency services' Mr McGimpsey stressed the investment earmarked for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
Noting a rather Freudian slip in the text of the letter, Mr Hussey said: "As regards his avowal of investment of £3 million into ambulance services in Fermanagh and South Tyrone over the next three years, I felt it necessary to point out that Omagh is clearly in West Tyrone. What about West Tyrone? I am assured that this was simply a 'typo'.
Potential
“Overall it seems that there are potential solutions within that letter. Had they been highlighted earlier, it might have been possible to resolve some of the problems surrounding this issue a long time ago," he said.
“Rather than fighting we could have come together and said 'we have this, this and this - but we can build on it'. Encouragement, not bullying, has been needed."
A statement from Omagh District Council said: "The Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey MLA, has agreed to a request from Omagh District Council for an urgent meeting to discuss plans for hospital provision in Omagh.
“The council's request for a meeting arose following comments made by the Minister for Health during a recent Assembly debate relating to the proposed new hospital in Omagh. Following consideration of the minister's comments, Omagh District Council felt it to be of the utmost importance that a meeting took place in order to plan the way forward."
Council chairman, Martin McColgan, welcomed the Minister's speedy response: "This meeting presents an opportunity for constructive discussions to take place regarding future health care provision in Omagh, including the investment of £190m in a new hospital in Omagh."
