Hospital Grouping System Not Working

The grouping of hospitals around the country is evidently not working as was promised by Government after news this week that Roscommon Co Hospital has being charged over 100,000 Euro for the external reading of x-rays (by doctors working within the hospital group) over the past number of months. We were told when this idea of hospital grouping was mooted that there would be a sharing of resources between the hospitals in the group and here is a case in point where the system obviously is not working. Why can’t these x-rays be read at hospital within the group like UCHG? It is another indication of the lack of planning in local heath services and there are several other issues that must be addressed immediately such as the ambulance service. Only this week I was contacted by an elderly man who is unable to walk, and on five different occasions recently he was given a hospital appointment but on each occasion no ambulance arrived to take him to those appointments. We are constantly being told that the economy is improving and that everyone is better off but as far as I can see the health services locally are getting worse with every passing week and as usual it is the most vulnerable people that are being affected. I will be seeking an urgent meeting with Minister Varadkar to address these very important issues.