Protest at Crumlin Children’s Hospital

Saturday May 23rd at 12pm

HSE hospital network manager John Bulfin stated in a letter to Crumlin Children’s Hospital in January: “Savings should be targeted to ensure frontline patient care services are appropriately maintained.”
This is what he means by maintaining appropriate patient care services.

· Because of a forecasted deficit of €9.6 million, three wards will shut down this year, starting with St Joseph ’s due to close on May 14th with two more to close in July and August.

· There will be over 7,000 fewer in-patient bed days at the hospital this year. Theatres will also close and there will also be a 15 per cent reduction in day case activity along with a 15 per cent reduction in outpatient activity.

· Two “play” specialists will be lost on May 14th. These specialists are crucially important for many children.

· It is expected that the contracts of 17 household workers will not be renewed in May. There will be cuts in agency staffing and in staff holding temporary contracts, and also in overtime and on-call payments.