Board defends its health cafe project

The Western Health Board says it is committed to a comprehensive development of mother-and-child facilities in the paediatric unit at University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG), despite recent criticisms by a leading consultant.

It also intends to proceed with a health advice cafe for teenagers in Galway but contests the claim that it will cost £500,000 on that project and that it has a precise location for it.

The board, which hopes to benefit from the Government's increase in health spending announced in last week's Estimates, cannot confirm whether a new paediatric unit will be included in phase 3 of the hospital development plan. It cannot be sure there will be funding for a third phase within the next decade.

The £70 million second phase is in progress, including provision of radiotherapy services, and the target completion date is 2003. Healthcare and hospitals were identified as the main general election issue among a sample of Galway West voters in the recent TG4/MRBI political poll.

The health board has replied to criticisms of it earlier this month by Dr David Lillis, former Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) president. Dr Lillis, who is a paediatric consultant at UCHG, spoke publicly about conditions in the children's unit, which he described as "gross".

While the board was proceeding to spend up to £500,000 on a location for a health advice cafe on Father Griffin Road, parents of sick children had to sleep on the floor due to the lack of facilities for them, he said.

"I've been there for 22 years as a consultant and 30 years altogether, and the place hasn't changed in that time," he said last week. "I have nothing against a health advice cafe in principle, but I cannot understand why money should be borrowed to purchase a premises for it when a unit for children within the acute hospital is crumbling."

Working conditions for the nursing staff were appalling, he said. "The gunge coming down the walls is like the Ailwee Caves, and in the last three months four nurses have had their uniforms spattered with drips." He said the hospital's general manager was sympathetic but was constrained by finances.

A Western Health Board spokeswoman said senior medical and nursing staff in the hospital were involved in a development operational plan for extensive renovations and remodelling of the paediatric unit. This would offer an interim immediate solution until more comprehensive mother-and-child facilities could be provided. The unit was renovated on a continuous basis. Recently work had been carried out on the play area, she said.

The board, which initially sought approval for a £500,000 loan for the health cafe project, had abandoned a prospective site on Father Griffin Road, the spokeswoman said. "A sum of £350,000 has been earmarked, and it comes out of a separate budget to that which would be spent on acute facilities," she said. The cafe aims to provide health information and to promote drug-free entertainment in a safe environment for 14 to 24-year-olds.

She said that she regarded Dr Lillis's remarks as "inappropriate and ill-advised". Many parents would regard a health advice cafe as a priority, she said. "If teenagers lead a healthy lifestyle, that takes pressure off acute hospital services."

It's a row the captain and crew of the Naval Service patrol ship, LE Aisling would have been unaware of last weekend when they visited the unit to make a preChristmas donation. The ship, which is twinned with Galway city, hosted unusual fund-raising events, such as "sitting on the captain's chair while entering harbour", becoming ship's cook for a meal and growing beards while on patrol.

Lieut Cdr Timothy O'Keeffe and complement of 50 were assisted by 12 people from the Naval Reserve, An Slua Muiri, who were on board for their annual training camp. A delegation from the ship presented £800 to the hospital's Santa Claus coffers.

The Irish Anaphylaxis Campaign is hosting an open forum on Saturday in the Oyster Manor Hotel, Clarenbridge, Co Galway. The campaign was set up in 1995 to raise awareness about the growing number of people who suffer from severe allergies to certain foods which can be life-threatening.

The forum, which starts at 10.30 a.m., will include a talk from Dr Joe Fitzgibbon, who runs an allergy clinic in Galway. Further information can be obtained from the campaign at (01) 2952791.