The Nenagh Hospital Action Group is following up the very successful local launch of its blueprint for the future of the hospital, entitled “Small Hospital, Big Service”, with a briefing for all members of the Oireachtas, to be held in Buswells Hotel beside Leinster House, this Wednesday, March 29^th.

“We are taking our message to the members of the Oireachtas, because we want all our political leaders to be aware of what is in our report and in particular how it is relevant to all General Hospitals and not just Nenagh”, said Paul Malone, Chairman of the Nenagh Hospital Action Group.

“Our message is that Nenagh Hospital works, and small hospitals work. While we have only studied Nenagh, we know that our message applies to many small hospitals around the country and we believe that our public representatives are interested in hearing how it can apply to a hospital close to them”, he said.

He said the country’s smaller hospitals must be seen as part of the solution to the problems facing acute services, not as part of the problem.

“This solution lies between the covers of “Small Hospital, Big Service”, and we want our politicians to know about it”, he said.

ENDS

Queries Paul Malone 087 2540766

ACTION GROUP’S REPORT FINDS SMALL ACUTE HOSPITAL SPENDS LESS TREATING PATIENTS – NO QUEUES IN A&E

• 2004: 12 largest hospitals treat 250,000 patients, 29 small hospitals treat 330,000 patients.
• Average daily bed cost in Nenagh General Hospital: €711, Limerick Regional Hospital: €956, St. Vincent’s Hospital: €1,158.
• Almost 97% of patients admitted to Nenagh are treated in Nenagh. Only 3% need to be transferred to larger units.

Monday, 27 March 2006 – A report prepared by the Nenagh Hospital Action Group highlights that smaller hospitals treat more patients at a lower cost than larger hospitals, and that patients in Nenagh don’t have to queue on trolleys in A&E.   The report, entitled “Small Hospital, Big Service”, was drawn up by a Project Group made up of local health professionals and community representatives, and concludes that the system used in Nenagh, whereby local GPs can refer their patients directly to wards in the hospital, has prevented the problem of patients queuing on trolleys in A&E, which is causing a crisis in larger hospitals across the country.   The report was launched today by the Nenagh Hospital Action Group at an event attended by local community leaders, politicians, officials and health professionals in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Today the Nenagh Hospital Action Committee announced that they were going to use Mobhaile as their Community Information Site