A resolution has been reached on controversial plans by the North Eastern Health Board to restructure the delivery of surgery in the two main hospitals in Louth, following a month of conflicting views and harsh words.
A dispute erupted over a plan to create a joint department of surgery with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk. Last month the Medical Board of Louth County Hospital issued a statement saying the plan would leave the Dundalk hospital without consultant cover from 5 p.m. and was "totally unsafe in every respect".
A strong statement from the North Eastern Health Board rebutted the concerns and said the plan had been revealed to the medical board some time ago.
In a letter yesterday the Medical Board said that, following a meeting of the four consultant surgeons in both hospitals, Louth County Hospital would maintain its acute surgical care status with consultant surgical on-call availability on a 24-hour, seven-day per week basis.
It has been agreed that theatre and anaesthetic staff will remain on call for each hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Three new consultants will be appointed, bringing the total to six. All six surgeons, with sub-specialities, will attend Louth County Hospital and two new theatres are being designed for the hospital.
The majority of Louth County Hospital surgical admissions out of hours will be dealt with at the Louth County Hospital, 12 junior doctors will be offered appointments to cover both hospitals and there will be full accreditation in surgery for both.