Because of the huge upheaval many patients now face in the NW.
SSCS campaigners decided that a forum might help people stay in touch.
Or to get help or even just be a place to chat.
Where else can they cam tell people about whats going on under Harneys regime.Feel free to drop by.
Showing posts with label sligo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sligo. Show all posts
April 10th we're taking to the streets
APRIL 10th 2009. O'CONNELL STREET, SLIGO The people of the northwest are taking the lead countrywide and taking back whats rightfully theirs.
The campaign is inviting all health groups from across the region to join them in their 'Great Friday' march.
We are no longer asking for our services to be left alone, we are demanding it.
We are taking back our Health Services, Our Hospitals and Our Rights.
We no longer recognise the Minister for Health Mary Harney.
We no longer recognise the authority of the HSE
We no longer recognise and actively oppose any body (political or otherwise) that opposes fair and equitable health services for all.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW SOON.
The campaign is inviting all health groups from across the region to join them in their 'Great Friday' march.
We are no longer asking for our services to be left alone, we are demanding it.
We are taking back our Health Services, Our Hospitals and Our Rights.
We no longer recognise the Minister for Health Mary Harney.
We no longer recognise the authority of the HSE
We no longer recognise and actively oppose any body (political or otherwise) that opposes fair and equitable health services for all.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW SOON.
Mary 'I see dead people' Coughlan
A year ago before becoming Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan promises campaigners she supports the retention of cancer services in Sligo and will do all she can to help her hospital. After 6 months of ignored letters, emails and phonecalls, 4 members of the campaign (myself included) travel to Donegal town to the now Tánaistes constituency office. The idea was that a hand delivered request for a meeting couldnt possibly be ignored, we're in a democracy after all and these people work for us, dont they?
The reception was not exactly welcoming, with Coughlans staff of three refusing to give their names and then threatening to call police! We were less then politely ushered off the property and it would be over 5 months later before we finally came face to face with the Sarah Palin of Donegal.
For some inexlicable reason the management of Sligo General decided that Coughlan was the right person to invite to open a new unit in a hospital where the same woman was now supporting the closure of the cancer unit. The fact that Coughlan had completely turned her back on the people of the region, did a complete u-turn on her supposed support for Sligo seemed lost on them, even if everyone else noticed the glaring hypocrisy.
After postponing the event in February, the Tániste (who now apparently had the countries finances in control)visited Sligo General. And on March 6th, the management pulled out all the stops to welcome their vaunted guest. The press arrived and so did the protestors.
Arriving early, the second in command was met by some of the campaigners from north Sligo and Donegal. In her own inimitable way, she told them to forget about the cancer services 'they were gone, agreement had been reached with the GP's', this despite the fact that on not one single occasion has she spoken to the GP association regarding Sligos cancer services. She then went on to explain the reasoning behind the closure 'if Tim snuffed it, what would happen?'-- her words. The Tim she was referring to is the cancer control director for the Northwest and a consultant surgeon, one of a pair of surgeons in Sligos Oncology centre. Finally when the campaigners, angry at her idiotic and insensitive comments advised they would never vote for her again, she replied 'I couldnt care less who you vote for'-- again her words not mine.
Shortly after 5pm, we decided to go into the hospital, sick of standing outside hospitals from Galway to Dublin and back, tired of standing in every kind of weather and tired of being routinely ignored in the process, we entered our hospital determined to carry our message to the Tánaiste.
At first all seemed normal, the guards and security saw no threat and we entered unmolested. It wasn't long however, before the mood changed. The first signal came from the management themselves, who apparently were unhappy with our presence, afraid of trouble or a ruined photo opportunity. 'As long as we were left alone, there would be no disturbance' we promised but within moments the mood had changed and 18 months of frustration and anger soon started to reveal itself. As we positioned ourselves around the dias awaiting the Tánaiste, a member of her staff decided to pull a banner out of a campaigners hands, managing to push her against the wall while at the same time informing us 'that we had no right to be there as this was private grounds, it was, as they say, all downhill from there.
From the start of her speech, the air crackled with shouts of 'Liar' and 'hypocrite', the usual rehearsed drivel we've become so used to was only broken by questions about the future of cancer patients and reasons why the Tánaiste sold us all out. None were answered of course but none could be ignored either.
The cathaoirleach of Sligo, FF coucillor Jude Devins followed the Tánaiste on to the podium, obviously taking his cue from his party colleague he managed to enrage the crowd even further. His talk on 'customers' and 'customer service' drew an immiediate reaction from the crowd who still consider themselves 'patients' in need of 'health care.
As he is want to do, jude looked bemused and more than a little lost but continued on with his speech to barely disguised disgust.
Fiasco, sham, publicity stunt, photo opportunity, take your pick, all were used to describe the shameful PR exercise witnessed that Friday. With the air reeking of the Tánaiste's hypocrisy, we left much as we had arrived, with a bitter taste in our mouths and the campaign on our minds. Prof Keane's due the following wednesday, so theres no time to rest or as an Tánaiste is prone to do whenever faced with a challenge, have a 'period of reflection'.
Unbeknownst to us, Coughlan had done an interview for local radio on that same Friday and had spoken freely about the economy and Irelands disappearing finances. As we listened on Monday morning to her interview, her lack of insight and understanding of all things fiscal was suddenly eclipsed by her next statement. With an unusually soft voice, Coughlan told us how people have gone to their eternal reward, wishing they had better treatment and less invasive surgery then was available at Sligo General, how there were experts but not expertise at the hospital. I had to have the interview replayed to me over the phone that night to be sure this is what I indeed heard and I was surprised to discover, that this was in fact, what she had said. Not content to talk complete nonsense about the economy, now shes communicating with the dead and has even polled them on their opinions of Sligo. General. Here was evidence of the Tánaistes renowned competitive streak, no matter how low the bar is set, she will strive to lower it even further and she manage to do just that.
To the Sarah Palin of South Donegal, we salute you, amongst a generation of bottom feeding politicans, politics has hit an all time low.
I wonder if she can see Sligo General from her house?
The reception was not exactly welcoming, with Coughlans staff of three refusing to give their names and then threatening to call police! We were less then politely ushered off the property and it would be over 5 months later before we finally came face to face with the Sarah Palin of Donegal.
For some inexlicable reason the management of Sligo General decided that Coughlan was the right person to invite to open a new unit in a hospital where the same woman was now supporting the closure of the cancer unit. The fact that Coughlan had completely turned her back on the people of the region, did a complete u-turn on her supposed support for Sligo seemed lost on them, even if everyone else noticed the glaring hypocrisy.
After postponing the event in February, the Tániste (who now apparently had the countries finances in control)visited Sligo General. And on March 6th, the management pulled out all the stops to welcome their vaunted guest. The press arrived and so did the protestors.
Arriving early, the second in command was met by some of the campaigners from north Sligo and Donegal. In her own inimitable way, she told them to forget about the cancer services 'they were gone, agreement had been reached with the GP's', this despite the fact that on not one single occasion has she spoken to the GP association regarding Sligos cancer services. She then went on to explain the reasoning behind the closure 'if Tim snuffed it, what would happen?'-- her words. The Tim she was referring to is the cancer control director for the Northwest and a consultant surgeon, one of a pair of surgeons in Sligos Oncology centre. Finally when the campaigners, angry at her idiotic and insensitive comments advised they would never vote for her again, she replied 'I couldnt care less who you vote for'-- again her words not mine.
Shortly after 5pm, we decided to go into the hospital, sick of standing outside hospitals from Galway to Dublin and back, tired of standing in every kind of weather and tired of being routinely ignored in the process, we entered our hospital determined to carry our message to the Tánaiste.
At first all seemed normal, the guards and security saw no threat and we entered unmolested. It wasn't long however, before the mood changed. The first signal came from the management themselves, who apparently were unhappy with our presence, afraid of trouble or a ruined photo opportunity. 'As long as we were left alone, there would be no disturbance' we promised but within moments the mood had changed and 18 months of frustration and anger soon started to reveal itself. As we positioned ourselves around the dias awaiting the Tánaiste, a member of her staff decided to pull a banner out of a campaigners hands, managing to push her against the wall while at the same time informing us 'that we had no right to be there as this was private grounds, it was, as they say, all downhill from there.
From the start of her speech, the air crackled with shouts of 'Liar' and 'hypocrite', the usual rehearsed drivel we've become so used to was only broken by questions about the future of cancer patients and reasons why the Tánaiste sold us all out. None were answered of course but none could be ignored either.
The cathaoirleach of Sligo, FF coucillor Jude Devins followed the Tánaiste on to the podium, obviously taking his cue from his party colleague he managed to enrage the crowd even further. His talk on 'customers' and 'customer service' drew an immiediate reaction from the crowd who still consider themselves 'patients' in need of 'health care.
As he is want to do, jude looked bemused and more than a little lost but continued on with his speech to barely disguised disgust.Fiasco, sham, publicity stunt, photo opportunity, take your pick, all were used to describe the shameful PR exercise witnessed that Friday. With the air reeking of the Tánaiste's hypocrisy, we left much as we had arrived, with a bitter taste in our mouths and the campaign on our minds. Prof Keane's due the following wednesday, so theres no time to rest or as an Tánaiste is prone to do whenever faced with a challenge, have a 'period of reflection'.
Unbeknownst to us, Coughlan had done an interview for local radio on that same Friday and had spoken freely about the economy and Irelands disappearing finances. As we listened on Monday morning to her interview, her lack of insight and understanding of all things fiscal was suddenly eclipsed by her next statement. With an unusually soft voice, Coughlan told us how people have gone to their eternal reward, wishing they had better treatment and less invasive surgery then was available at Sligo General, how there were experts but not expertise at the hospital. I had to have the interview replayed to me over the phone that night to be sure this is what I indeed heard and I was surprised to discover, that this was in fact, what she had said. Not content to talk complete nonsense about the economy, now shes communicating with the dead and has even polled them on their opinions of Sligo. General. Here was evidence of the Tánaistes renowned competitive streak, no matter how low the bar is set, she will strive to lower it even further and she manage to do just that.
To the Sarah Palin of South Donegal, we salute you, amongst a generation of bottom feeding politicans, politics has hit an all time low.
I wonder if she can see Sligo General from her house?
Knocknarea
August 17th 2008
150 people climb legendary
Knocknarea mountain in Sligo. As tradition dictates each participant brings a stone to the ancient cairn of Queen Maeve, the warrior queen of Connaught.
The youngest had just turned 3, the oldest was in her 80's accompanied by her life long friend, herself only a year younger. Cancer patients struggled up the wet rocks, families carried stones in rememberance of their loved ones lost and even some local politicans made the trek to the top.
After a week of storms, floods across the country and a months rain in a single dark August day, even the weather was kind that morning as people from all across the northwest stood together at the top of Queen Maeves tomb.
As one walker said, 'with Queen Maeve and God on our side who the hell can be on theirs'
No money, no co-location
Beacon Medical Group’s co-located hospital at the Mid-West Regional in Limerick is the first in the country to get a final grant of planning permission, after two appeals to An Bord Pleanála – one involving Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins – were both deemed invalid.
However, after months of high-stakes talks, the whole future of Health Minister Harney’s co-location strategy now hangs on events due to unfold over the coming week.
“There are three hospitals that we want to get signed up now,” a HSE spokesperson said. The HSE says it is ‘very, very confident’ that project agreements (PA) for co-located hospitals at St James’s in Dublin and at the Waterford Regional Hospital will be signed very shortly.
The HSE has asked for updates and clarifications from all the consortia but has insisted that the documentation must be finalised by the end of July. The Synchrony consortium has now agreed a date – before the end of August – when it will sign a Project Agreement for St James’s. Synchrony will also post the required €20 million bond with the HSE.
A PA for Sligo, where Mount Carmel Medical Group (MCMG) is the preferred bidder, will certainly take a month longer than at MCMG’s other co-location in Waterford and at St James’s. Beacon would be offered the contract to build these two hospitals, should deals not be signed. Sligo is described as a ‘disaster of a site’, built on top of a hill. The technicalities of joining the proposed and the older parts of the hospital are difficult. The Waterford Co-location Consortium is to build the hospital in that city and MCMG will be the operator there.
Read the full article here in the Irish Medical Times
However, after months of high-stakes talks, the whole future of Health Minister Harney’s co-location strategy now hangs on events due to unfold over the coming week.
“There are three hospitals that we want to get signed up now,” a HSE spokesperson said. The HSE says it is ‘very, very confident’ that project agreements (PA) for co-located hospitals at St James’s in Dublin and at the Waterford Regional Hospital will be signed very shortly.
The HSE has asked for updates and clarifications from all the consortia but has insisted that the documentation must be finalised by the end of July. The Synchrony consortium has now agreed a date – before the end of August – when it will sign a Project Agreement for St James’s. Synchrony will also post the required €20 million bond with the HSE.
A PA for Sligo, where Mount Carmel Medical Group (MCMG) is the preferred bidder, will certainly take a month longer than at MCMG’s other co-location in Waterford and at St James’s. Beacon would be offered the contract to build these two hospitals, should deals not be signed. Sligo is described as a ‘disaster of a site’, built on top of a hill. The technicalities of joining the proposed and the older parts of the hospital are difficult. The Waterford Co-location Consortium is to build the hospital in that city and MCMG will be the operator there.
Read the full article here in the Irish Medical Times
The Politics of Men.................
You could tell she was slightly awestruck by his presence but not intimidated, she spoke up, said what was on her mind, declined his leaflet and continued on with her shopping. I heard her say the names 'Scanlon, Devins' and the word 'disgrace' and the source of her anger became immiediatley obvious. The sight of Sligo's favourite son immaculate in navy blazer and cream trousers handing out 'Yes to Lisbon' flyers didnt surprise her as much it did me. Here was a man used to warm welcomes, hearty handshakes and generous compliments, a former minister for finance and EU commisioner, a man not prepared for the quiet anger of a middle aged woman in the centre of his town.
I know that this man has lost someone dear to him but I wondered who it was she had lost.
Within seconds her place was taken by an elderly couple, again leaflets were offered, this time one was accepted. The husband enjoyed his chance to shake hands with this elder statesman, the wife refused to acknowledge him and as impatience got the better of her, she quickly walked off, leaving behind her husband and his awkward attempts at small talk.
We spoke with this statesman, he berated us for implying that this was a political issue, how the recent Dail motion did more damage then good and that a lifetime in politics told him as much.
I asked if this was so true, why he hadn't spoken out before? why wait until a week after the motion? The answers were short and impatient, 'the government has to vote against the opposition', 'Castlebar and Letterkenny should never have been included'. I asked why loyalty to a party was more important then loyalty to the people who elected them? his face flushed and he turned his back on us.
'People are going to die Ray' and he turned to face us again but this time his attentions focused on the woman to my right. Although not given to raising her voice and small in stature, she has a commanding presence. Her soft voice hides a quiet determination and dignity that only suffering brings and thus makes it all the more impossible to ignore. It dawned on me then, that it would be women that would solve this problem, I didnt have time to wonder why this was but whatever the reason, Im certain it's so.
We left with his angry promise 'I will bring them to Drumm and Keane myself' referring to the medical reports the HSE has chosen to ignore, the ones that the government wishes didnt exist, the ones that expose the lies and also the liars.
No more than two hundred yards away we ran into a Fianna Fail TD and senator, the TD ignored us, the senator looked on anxiously, we let them know we wished to speak and waited. To pass the time we joked about what we would say and how we would say it, I looked for familiar faces in the crowds but saw none. As the senator finally approached us, she nervously appraised us. We had tried and failed to meet with her on a number of occasions and I sensed this was partly the reason she seemed apprehensive. We discussed the closing of Sligo's cancer services, the conditions the men and women have to endure every day on their journey to and from Galway. We discussed how the region will be left without any diagnostics as Breastcheck has no schedule for the Northwest, we discussed how Mary Harney and the HSE were allowed to use figures and statistics that we all know to be out of date and incorrect but yet go unchallenged, we discussed.
Its a conversation we've all had many times now but its one that we've grown weary of, we all agree whats happening is wrong, yet can agree on nothing else. Still I was glad to have met this senator, having only previously spoken to her over the phone, I knew little of her and was less than impressed by how little she knew on that occasion. In person there was a different side to her, I think she felt genuinely ashamed by what was happening and wanted to be of help. Yet despite this, her party allegiance reared its head when I blamed their policies, I'm still surprised by this misplaced loyalty and its blindness, have they lost the ability to doubt or to think for themselves?
The myopia of these people, these 'leaders' and their stubborn reluctance to question what they know to be untrue is staggering, I dont know how to describe it because I cant understand it. I dont doubt she wanted to help, I only doubt if she could.
Later I thought of another woman, it was the agreed meeting with her this very morning that had first brought us into Sligo centre. In her office she described how she would try to help us, she was careful not to give us false hope but she did however, give us hope. It wasnt hard to imagine her in her former career, teaching honours maths to nervous students. As she detailed the positives and negatives of our proposal, an analytical and intelligent mind revealed itself. I pictured her in Europe, an Independent, an Irish woman and MEP, free from the party ties that seem to strangle our local representatives. I tried to imagine how hard she must have had to work to get that far, it made it very easy to admire her.
She didnt need to make any promises to us, we instinctively knew she would do as she said and left her to it.
Its the promise that was made later on that saturday afternoon that worries me. Those reports have already been presented, those reports have already been ignored.
Did this man mean what he said? was it another false promise to get rid of an increasing annoyance? Was this another lie designed to cloud the real issue at hand? Theres no way to be sure and thats what concerns me.
One certainty though, is that we will keep you to that promise Ray. But if you break that promise, its not the men of the Northwest you need to be wary of.
I know that this man has lost someone dear to him but I wondered who it was she had lost.
Within seconds her place was taken by an elderly couple, again leaflets were offered, this time one was accepted. The husband enjoyed his chance to shake hands with this elder statesman, the wife refused to acknowledge him and as impatience got the better of her, she quickly walked off, leaving behind her husband and his awkward attempts at small talk.
We spoke with this statesman, he berated us for implying that this was a political issue, how the recent Dail motion did more damage then good and that a lifetime in politics told him as much.
I asked if this was so true, why he hadn't spoken out before? why wait until a week after the motion? The answers were short and impatient, 'the government has to vote against the opposition', 'Castlebar and Letterkenny should never have been included'. I asked why loyalty to a party was more important then loyalty to the people who elected them? his face flushed and he turned his back on us.
'People are going to die Ray' and he turned to face us again but this time his attentions focused on the woman to my right. Although not given to raising her voice and small in stature, she has a commanding presence. Her soft voice hides a quiet determination and dignity that only suffering brings and thus makes it all the more impossible to ignore. It dawned on me then, that it would be women that would solve this problem, I didnt have time to wonder why this was but whatever the reason, Im certain it's so.
We left with his angry promise 'I will bring them to Drumm and Keane myself' referring to the medical reports the HSE has chosen to ignore, the ones that the government wishes didnt exist, the ones that expose the lies and also the liars.
No more than two hundred yards away we ran into a Fianna Fail TD and senator, the TD ignored us, the senator looked on anxiously, we let them know we wished to speak and waited. To pass the time we joked about what we would say and how we would say it, I looked for familiar faces in the crowds but saw none. As the senator finally approached us, she nervously appraised us. We had tried and failed to meet with her on a number of occasions and I sensed this was partly the reason she seemed apprehensive. We discussed the closing of Sligo's cancer services, the conditions the men and women have to endure every day on their journey to and from Galway. We discussed how the region will be left without any diagnostics as Breastcheck has no schedule for the Northwest, we discussed how Mary Harney and the HSE were allowed to use figures and statistics that we all know to be out of date and incorrect but yet go unchallenged, we discussed.
Its a conversation we've all had many times now but its one that we've grown weary of, we all agree whats happening is wrong, yet can agree on nothing else. Still I was glad to have met this senator, having only previously spoken to her over the phone, I knew little of her and was less than impressed by how little she knew on that occasion. In person there was a different side to her, I think she felt genuinely ashamed by what was happening and wanted to be of help. Yet despite this, her party allegiance reared its head when I blamed their policies, I'm still surprised by this misplaced loyalty and its blindness, have they lost the ability to doubt or to think for themselves?
The myopia of these people, these 'leaders' and their stubborn reluctance to question what they know to be untrue is staggering, I dont know how to describe it because I cant understand it. I dont doubt she wanted to help, I only doubt if she could.
Later I thought of another woman, it was the agreed meeting with her this very morning that had first brought us into Sligo centre. In her office she described how she would try to help us, she was careful not to give us false hope but she did however, give us hope. It wasnt hard to imagine her in her former career, teaching honours maths to nervous students. As she detailed the positives and negatives of our proposal, an analytical and intelligent mind revealed itself. I pictured her in Europe, an Independent, an Irish woman and MEP, free from the party ties that seem to strangle our local representatives. I tried to imagine how hard she must have had to work to get that far, it made it very easy to admire her.
She didnt need to make any promises to us, we instinctively knew she would do as she said and left her to it.
Its the promise that was made later on that saturday afternoon that worries me. Those reports have already been presented, those reports have already been ignored.
Did this man mean what he said? was it another false promise to get rid of an increasing annoyance? Was this another lie designed to cloud the real issue at hand? Theres no way to be sure and thats what concerns me.
One certainty though, is that we will keep you to that promise Ray. But if you break that promise, its not the men of the Northwest you need to be wary of.
The Awful truth
Centres of excellence, Critical mass, Economic effectiveness, best practice, best international practice. If you've ever had the pleasure of talking to a member of Fianna Fail or the DOHC / HSE about the future of Irelands cancer services, these terms will be rolled out with an unnerving ease.
You'll hear all about how 'it's best for the patient', how Professor Keane won't change his mind, how even Bertie tried to convince him but the stubborn professor just wouldn't budge.
They'll even try to convince you that they tried their best and with a defeatist shrug of their shoulders exclaim 'what else can we do?'
Good oul Fianna Fail, sure they did what they could and what else can you ask for?
The truth is always a good place to start.
The problem is that, truth, honesty and decency are not words you tend to associate with Fianna Fail. It seems that getting caught is their only concern. On the same day Brian Cowen hit the streets of Galway to boost the flagging Lisbon campaign, his predecessor is beguiling the rest of the nation with his unbelievable luck at the track. All this fuss over 'a few quid and sure didnt he win it after all'.
So where do you start?
Is it even possible to penetrate this cult of dishonesty?
Where does 'cute hoor' stop and criminal begin?
Does anyone even care?
If nothing else, maybe we'll at least get the answer to that final question.
You'll hear all about how 'it's best for the patient', how Professor Keane won't change his mind, how even Bertie tried to convince him but the stubborn professor just wouldn't budge.
They'll even try to convince you that they tried their best and with a defeatist shrug of their shoulders exclaim 'what else can we do?'
Good oul Fianna Fail, sure they did what they could and what else can you ask for?
The truth is always a good place to start.
The problem is that, truth, honesty and decency are not words you tend to associate with Fianna Fail. It seems that getting caught is their only concern. On the same day Brian Cowen hit the streets of Galway to boost the flagging Lisbon campaign, his predecessor is beguiling the rest of the nation with his unbelievable luck at the track. All this fuss over 'a few quid and sure didnt he win it after all'.
So where do you start?
Is it even possible to penetrate this cult of dishonesty?
Where does 'cute hoor' stop and criminal begin?
Does anyone even care?
If nothing else, maybe we'll at least get the answer to that final question.
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