13th December 2012
Part 1
One of my reasons for requesting the meeting today was because we are all very aware of the stress and distress of the patients from the media reports. I understood that the purpose of today’s meeting was to restore confidence. I do not have that confidence. I am reading the statement signed by the witnesses and the Cystic Fibrosis Association that states clearly: “1-2 in-patient rooms in the Nutley Wing will be kept available at all times for emergency admissions. In circumstances where the emergency admission rooms have already been utilised and all the other in patient rooms in the Nutley Wing are occupied, patients with Cystic Fibrosis will be accommodated elsewhere in clinically appropriate single rooms until such time as a room becomes available in the Nutley Wing and then the patient will be transferred there as a priority.” I am not hearing that today. In his Budget Statement last week the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, said 34 beds is 34 beds. That is not what we are hearing.
Part 2
Professor Gallagher made a very clear statement that the 14 beds should be allocated in the same place. I do not have all the clinical terms. This is my understanding of reading an agreement about 20 beds being flexed up to 34. Everybody would know where these 14 are. I would like a commitment to work towards allocating the 14 beds and to examine structurally how to allocate them. I know the witnesses cannot state they exist now, but can we get a commitment this is what will be worked towards so the statement issued will live up to what it states?