Expanded role for Galway manager

The role of the new general manager for Galway University Hospitals has been expanded to include Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital.
IMPACT last week told its members not to co-operate with any move to expand the scope of the Galway general manager – which it claimed was the start of a re-structuring of hospitals in the region, which would result in a downgrading of the skills mix and services available to people using Roscommon and Portiuncula hospitals.

“This decision has been made because of the need for greater integration of services for better and safer patient care, and to provide additional support to both hospitals. There is no question of the downgrading of any hospital as a result of this expanded role,” the Health Service Executive has insisted. Full engagement will take place with all the stakeholders on this issue, the Executive said.
IMPACT said that it believed the revised reporting relationship and the transferring of ultimate managerial authority to Galway University Hospital would have implications for the services to be provided at both Portiuncula and Roscommon and, as a consequence, would have implications for local jobs.