Local Health News

CORK

A Cork woman who suffered the tragic loss of her two young daughters after her husband took his own life and theirs revealed last Wednesday that the H.S.E. conducted an inquiry without telling her.

Almost two years ago in November 2010, John Butler killed Zoe (6) and Ella (2) and then himself in Ballycotton. Mr. Butler had been suffering from depression and had been receiving medical attention, until three months before his death.

In a statement released by a solicitor acting for Una Butler, it was revealed that she first became aware of the investigation only after meeting Minister of State with responsibility for mental health Kathleen Lynch in May.
[Source: Cork Independent

 
KILDARE

Fears that the people of Athy and south Kildare will have to wait longer for an ambulance in an emergency due to changes at the local ambulance base were expressed last week.
However the H.S.E. has moved to allay the fears and say the cost saving changes will not impact on front-line services.
Speaking at the recent meeting of Athy Town Council, Clr. Mary O’Sullivan called on the H.S.E. to provide reassurance that the present ambulance service in Athy would not be curtailed or withdrawn.
[Source: Kildare Nationalist]
LIMERICK

A Polish woman who is dying from leukaemia received her final wish last week, after donations from the public allowed her to fly home to Poland.

Marta Salacka (27), a mother of a four year-old son, needed $26,000 to fly home to Poland on an air ambulance, as she was not permitted to travel on routine flights because of her condition.

The young woman, who hails from Gorzow Wielkopolski, near the German border, wanted to be at home with all her family in her final days.

There were emotional scenes in Limerick as she and her family bid farewell to their close friends, whom they have known for the past seven years.
[Source: Limerick Leader]

 
TIPPERARY

Patients and medical staff in Cashel are “gravely disturbed” that an x-ray machine in Our Lady’s Hospital is out of action due to a mechanical defect, according to a local medical doctor and county councilor.

Mayor of Cashel Dr. Séan McCarthy also said passengers travelling through Thurles Railway Station could not use the car park without fear of being fined, or having their cars clamped, as the ticket vending machines are out of order.

 

Dr. McCarthy told the Tipperary Star the x-ray machine on the grounds of Our Lady’s has been out of order for the week or so, and there is mounting concern.
[Source: Tipperary Star]
WATERFORD

A meeting took place last Thursday evening between the Master of the City and County Infirmary Trust, Mr. Gordon Watson, and elected representatives from the city and county to discuss growing gears that hospital services in Waterford and the region could be seriously eroded.

The meeting at Waterford Institute of Technology had been called amid fears that approval is to be given for a recommendation for the complete break-up of the regional hospital network.

That would mean a downgrade of W.R.H. and Waterford networking with Cork and Clonmel while people from Wexford and Kilkenny requiring hospital care would have to travel to Dublin.
[Source: Waterford News & Star]