All requests for the transfer of patients from Monaghan General Hospital to Cavan General Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, will have to be granted and processed immediately under a new directive from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The directive was sent to hospital managers, directors of nursing and the medical boards of all hospitals in the northeast this week.
It has been issued following the death of Patrick Joseph Walsh (75), from Killanny, Carrickmacross, at Monaghan General Hospital two weeks ago. He bled to death after attempts by staff at the Monaghan hospital to transfer him to three other hospitals for emergency surgery failed. Two of those hospitals were Cavan and Drogheda.
It was claimed following Mr Walsh's death that they refused to take him as they had no intensive-care beds available. However, it has since emerged both hospitals had beds free.
Monaghan hospital tried to transfer the patient as it is not allowed to carry out emergency surgery. An independent investigation into the circumstances of his death is being carried out.
Mr Walsh died early on October 14th, and the following week there was intense criticism in the Dáil and elsewhere of the circumstances in which he was allowed to die.
The head of the HSE, Prof Brendan Drumm, and Minister for Health Mary Harney said he should not have died.
It has now emerged that on October 21st, after days of controversy surrounding his death, the head of the northeast hospital network, Chris Lyons, compiled a new directive for hospitals in his region.
The directive, which has been seen by The Irish Times, states: "In light of recent tragic events I have been advised that it is now necessary to clearly state the policy regarding transfer of medical and surgical emergencies throughout the northeast region and particularly from Monaghan hospital.
"The stated policy is that all requests for transfers to the Cavan hospital site and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda from Monaghan hospital should be granted and processed immediately."
It is understood that the hospitals would have to admit such patients, even if they did not have an ordinary bed available.