The Workers Party
have said that they seriously fear that Cork may lose one of its major general
hospitals along with St. Mary’s Orthopaedic hospital as both it and the Mercy are being wound down by stealth.
Northside Workers
Party spokesman Denis O’Connor said that it was his information, from workers within the Mercy Hospital, that up to 60 workers would be laid off at the Mercy Hospital later today
and not the 30 being reported by last night’s Evening Echo.
“I have it
on good authority that somewhere between 50 and 60 workers will be informed tomorrow that their jobs are gone and I utterly
do not accept that this will not have any impact on services at the Mercy Hospital. Patients will suffer and essential workers, who have an important job to do, will be made jobless”,
he said.
Mr. O’Connor said
that the situation at the Orthopaedic was even worse and he referred to a recent report by Marie O’Connor of the Health
Services Action Group who had mentioned a list of over 40 public hospitals which would be closed if the Hanly report was fully
implemented, including both the Mercy and Orthopaedic and both Mallow and Bantry hospitals in the county.
“While the government
has been dealt a blow with the result of last week’s Lisbon Treaty referendum, which may not be entirely unrelated to
the health service situation, it is business as usual as far as the rundown of our public hospitals is concerned”, said
Denis O’Connor.
The Workers Party spokesman said that the
situation required united action by patients, hospital staff and the trade union movement. “We have to stand up for
our hospitals while we still have them”, he declared.
* Protest March,
Cork City, Saturday 28th June 2008. Assemble Daunt's Square at 2.00pm. Protest against cutbacks
at the Mercy and Orthopaedic Hospitals, including part-time operation of new A&E unit at the Mercy University Hospital.
