I raise this matter on behalf of a number of people in Kilkenny city who are concerned that once again this winter the gynaecological unit at the hospital will be closed for a period of time. I understand this development was brought about by the management of the hospital and it is currently being debated by the South Eastern Health Board. This is an issue of women's health and of facilitating all the patients in the hospital. With better management, they could be accommodated.
The number of beds in the unit is being reduced because there will be an influx of people with respiratory problems and pneumonia during the winter. The Government is spending £750,000 refurbishing the nearby Kilcreene hospital. In the past week eight patients were turned away from the gynaecological unit. Surely the Kilcreene hospital could be reopened and the proper staff complement put in place to deal with the increased numbers of patients, particularly elderly people, who will be presented with these problems in the winter. This would mean the gynaecological unit which was established six years ago could be kept open.
The hospital management has decided the unit should be closed to facilitate what is happening. However, a recent letter stated that if patients are lucky enough to be admitted they might be looked after in the maternity unit. It also points out that it is difficult to place a woman who is threatening to miscarry, or who has already miscarried, beside a mother and a new-born baby. Such an arrangement would put a dampener on things for the new mother, as she would know that someone beside her is miserable.
The letter went on to point out that another alternative is that patients might be placed on a floor away from all facilities and specially trained gynaecological nurses. However, it drew attention to the fact that often after the doctor has gone questions arise and it is good for a patient to have a nurse to explain what is happening. Not all nurses are close to the midwifery unit so if a patient is on another floor she might not be as well informed as those accommodated in the gynaecological ward.
There are issues concerning women's health which have to be addressed but the health board, in particular, is overlooking them. It is overlooking the accommodation and staffing problems in the hospital which will give rise to grave concern to all those who will seek the services of the gynaecological ward.
One day last week, eight women with appointments had to be turned away because of the number of sudden admissions the previous evening. One lady had a number of abnormal smears and was anxious to get answers that day. It was a grim task for nurses to have to send these people home. If beds are closed more women will be disappointed. The Minister of State should use his good offices with the South Eastern Health Board to ensure this does not happen again this winter, that the services in the gynaecological unit are maintained at the present level and that no beds are lost.
