The HSE has written to MInister Joe Mc Hugh about the future of the community hospitals in Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton, with the text suggesting that long stay beds will be removed from the three community hospitals to a new unit to be built in Letterkenny.
The letter says services such as rehabilitation, respite, step up, step down facilities will be needed, the the three centres can be considered in that context.
This tallies with Minister Mc Hugh’s statement this week that the three hospitals would not close, but would serve their communities in a “significantly different way”.
However, Minister Mc Hugh says nothing is written in stone………….
Ramelton based Cllr Ian Mc Garvey says he’s not reassured by Minister Mc Hugh’s interpretation of the situation.
The issue came to a head when Minister Mc Hugh said the government announcement, which clearly referred to Lifford, Ramelton and Stranorlar as being replaced by the new Letterkenny unit, was not accurate.
Cllr Mc Garvey says the employment implications of any scaling down must also be considered……
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