WEXFORD’S ELECTED representatives came under severe pressure over the weekend after reports began to circulate that trauma services at Wexford General Hospital were set to be axed. There was a massive response on the ground across the county with people immediately setting up Facebook groups and petitions online to prevent any downgrading of services and Minister Paul Kehoe in particular came under pressure to respond at once.

The report, which appeared in The Sunday Business Post stated that Wexford was among nine A&E departments to be axed under “plans being drawn up by the HSE”.

Speaking to The Echo yesterday, Fine Gael Minister Paul Kehoe said that the report had gotten it wrong and that there was no intention whatsoever to close or curtail any services currently being offered at Wexford General.

Minister Kehoe said that the report referred to in the article was a report carried out by the Royal College of Surgeons. He said that they had asked permission of the previous Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, to carry out the report and it had not been commissioned by the HSE or anyone at the Department of Health.

“I was speaking to Minister for Health Simon Harris yesterday about this,” Minister Kehoe said. “He has received no report and was not even aware of the report. He assured me that there are no plans to reduce services or close A&E departments anywhere.”

Minister Kehoe continued: “It looks like it’s a bit of a wish list for some consultants within the Royal College of Surgeons and something that they would like to see happen with the trauma network in our hospitals, but the government are in no way obligated to accept or implement any of the findings contained within this report.”

When asked if he could guarantee that Wexford General Hospital’s A&E department would not come under fire, Minister Kehoe replied: “Absolutely, yes.”

Wexford General Hospital. Pic: Jim Campbell