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 Local Deputy Noel Coonan with President Michael D. Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin at the recent British Irish Parliamentary Assembly Plenary reception. North Tipperary TD Noel Coonan has warmly welcomed developments at Nenagh General Hospital with the signing of contracts for two new surgical suites.
Commenting on the project, Deputy Coonan said: “This anticipated development, which was included in the HSE’s National Plan, is excellent news for Nenagh and for all families throughout the constituency who avail of the crucial services at the facility. Nenagh Hospital continues to advance and progress and will excel in diagnostic and surgical procedures.”
Speaking to Thurles.Info this morning the local TD continued: “What is important right now is that the facilities are made fully available to the people of North Tipperary as soon as possible.
It is irrelevant under which Government the funding was provided as long as the project is prioritised and I will continue to exert my influence with my Fine Gael colleague Minister James Reilly. This project was first mooted when both Cllr Jim Casey and I were members of the HSE Mid-Western Health Board under Mr. John O’Brien. It was made an integral part of the five year plan at that stage. The wheels of administration grind slowly and we will continue to fight for local services,” concluded Deputy Coonan
 Thurles Hospital Action Group protest on the morning of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny's visit to Thurles Tipperary In a press release received by the Thurles Information Website this morning, the Community Hospital of The Assumption Action Group have requested their right to address what they see as the many misconceptions, now in the public arena, regarding the number of bed units which are to be reopened at the stated hospital.
Hospital Action Group’s Press Release
“The loss of 22 beds in the Community Hospital of The Assumption last September was a devastating blow to our community and was totally out of proportion with the treatment meted out to other community hospitals here in the Western H.S.E. area. The Community Hospital of the Assumption Action Group were formed following this, with the intention of addressing this anomaly. A meeting was held with the Minister for Health on 9th Nov. 2011, in the presence of officials from his department and our elected T.D.’s for North Tipperary.
At this meeting we were informed that the Minister was working off the 2011 budget, brought in by the previous government and that when the 2012 budget came into effect, with some reconfiguration, the 22 beds would be restored by 31st January 2012. In the unlikely event that this did not come about, he would meet the delegation again.
Having made no progress, nor having had any meaningful correspondence with his department, a second meeting was arranged for 18th April 2012. This meeting was held with the minister, officials from his department, and officials from the H.S.E. West, included the 3 North Tipperary T.D.’s.
Continue reading Thurles Hospital Group Address Misconceptions
Welcome news has been received this morning (Monday) that the number of nursing posts and beds are to be increased across North Tipperary & will include the Dean Maxwell Home, the Community Hospital of the Assumption, here in Thurles and St. Conlon’s Unit.
Local Fine Gael TD Noel Coonan attended a meeting this morning with HSE officials to discuss what action was being taken to improve the situation at the three sites.
Speaking to Thurles Information today Mr Coonan stated:
 “I have been persistently pursuing the Health Minister and the HSE, outlining the great public unease that exists regarding bed closures in our local community nursing units. This is an issue that will not fade away and we must provide adequate facilities for families who use these services.
The delivery of services in North Tipperary is now being placed on a sound footing by this Government. This is progress in the right direction at a time of unprecedented austerity measures and cutbacks. Had similar progress been made in the good times, the people of our community would not have found themselves in this difficulty. The progress is to be welcomed and I will continue to make strenuous efforts in order to provide a more comprehensive service over the coming years.
At the HSE meeting this morning, we were thankfully given a commitment that seven new nursing posts will be put in place across North Tipperary and the bed capacity will increase to a minimum of 25 in the Dean Maxwell with a strong likelihood of 27 beds.
The Hospital of the Assumption will have a sustained minimum allocation of 50 beds, while St Conlon’s Unit is aiming towards the provision of 27 beds. This is good news for all three units and we are moving in the right direction. I will continue to monitor progress and keep my colleague and the Health Minister updated on the situation in North Tipperary.“
This announcement today will be well received in North Tipperary, as previously the HSE’s Mid-West Service Plan for 2012 had appeared to spell out bad news, not alone for the Community Hospital of the Assumption, here in Thurles, but also for other Community Nursing Units throughout North Tipperary.
 Most of us have been aware for some time that many, within our community of Thurles and Tipperary, have made the conscious decision to cancel our existing private health insurance. It therefore comes as no surprise to learn that in an answer to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael colleague Jim Daly, the Health Minister Dr James Reilly TD has confirmed that over 76,000 people have now cancelled their health insurance cover. In just the past 12 months up to the end of March of this year, (2012) record numbers have instead applied for medical cards.
The Irish Patients Association warns that this mass exodus from the Irish private health sector will end up with the bill for medical card holders, being paid by the taxpayer & by those who manage to remain insured members.
With costs running at an average of €1,000 per head in some cases, private health insurance is now viewed as a non affordable commodity, being operated purely for profit. These high costs are forcing people to fall out of the private health insurance market, mainly due to other demands on families to fund what are considered to be other more necessary demands on their weekly household budgets. Any further price increases will make it more difficult for persons who currently hold private health insurance to continue to renew their policies.
While there are still 46.6% of the population covered by private health insurance, our public system now has the highest number of medical cards ever issued in the Irish States medical card history. Private health plans are becoming unaffordable, particularly for our elderly, and health insurance providers continue to tailor their insurance plans toward the younger, healthier customers, who are less likely to make any immediate future claims.
Figures compiled by the Irish Patients Association show that between January 2010 and March 2012, the number of medical cards increased by over 280,000 or 19.0% and doctor-only visiting cards by 28,000 or 28.5%. When all is totted up, this equates to 1.76 million people with medical cards and 126,860 people with doctor-only visiting cards.
If this present trend is allowed to continues, then patients arriving at hospital reception desks will soon be asked the question, “Have you private health insurance or do you want to die?“
According to Stephen Breen in today’s Irish ‘The Sun,’ newspaper, a suspected “Peeping Tom,” incident is being investigated, following the discovery of a hidden secret camera recording device, at a busy ambulance station in Nenagh, Co.Tipperary.
The device, found in a ladies toilet, was hidden in a surgical glove box and it is suspected that same was being used to record images of female employees. A spokesperson for the HSE has refused to comment, but stated that a member of their ambulance service, in the Mid West Region, had been suspended from duty. It is understood that Gardaí are also investigating the incident.
The device is understood to have been discovered accidently by a female paramedic, however it is not known how long the device was operational or indeed how long it was in position in the toilet building.
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