By Róise Collins

THERE has been unanimous support for the 171 consultants and GPs who have demanded an urgent meeting with the Minister for Health over the exclusion of Letterkenny as a location for a Surgical Hub.

All five of the county’s TDs, four elected senators and councillors on the health forum have backed the doctor’s campaign to address what they describe as a critical threat to patient care and health equality in the north west.

Fanad-based GP Pádraig McGuinness, who has been at the forefront of the campaign, welcomed the outpouring of support from elected representatives.

“I think this is the first time this has ever happened that they have unanimously supported a cause, because the evidence is glaring them in the face.”

“It’s very clear to them that this is the right thing for Letterkenny,” he told the Donegal News.

He also spoke of how it is “unprecedented” that over a hundred consultants and GPs across Donegal have also agreed.

“This shows the gravity of the situation,” he added.

He explained that omission from the hub decision jeopardises Letterkenny University Hospital’s ability to attract and retain surgical talent, risking the long-term viability of surgery in Donegal and endangering patient safety.

“That’s why everyone understands the gravity of this.

“If we pull a surgical hub we’ll never be able to recruit consultants, and we will end up exactly like our colleagues in Enniskillen who had to downgrade the hospital as a result.”

The HSE has also floated a proposal for an ambulatory care hub at LUH, but doctors argue this is an inadequate substitute, lacking ring-fenced funding, staffing plans, or timelines.

The proposal has been rejected by all five TDs and is also being rejected by the 171 doctors.

“It’s not funded, it’s not planned and we’ve no site for it. It’s not a workable option in the medium to long term, never mind in the short term.”

Whereas, they argue, a surgical hub can be delivered- and is being delivered- in other parts of the country within 24 months.

“So this is all about speed of delivery. An ambulatory care hub can come in time, but it is not at the expense of a surgical hub,” Dr McGuinness stressed.

“There was no word of progressing this ambulatory care hub until we started a campaign to fight against the surgical hub decision in Sligo.”

The decision to locate the Surgical Hub in Sligo was made by Regional Executive Officer, Tony Canavan. The concerned doctors have asked him repeatedly for the evidence supporting this decision.

“The evidence doesn’t back up if you look at the population, the demographics and the geography. On no grounds does it stack up to have a surgical hub in Sligo versus Letterkenny.

“The ideal of course is to have it in both, but if only one is going to be put forward then it should be Letterkenny,” added Dr McGuinness.

The doctors have not yet received a formal response from the Minister; however, it is understood that she is currently reviewing the contents of the letter.