Fears about a further reduction of 25 in-patient beds at Mid-Western Regional Ennis as part of major HSE cutbacks have been allayed by the executive.

In a statement issued by IMPACT, union representative Andy Pike warned that 25 in-patient beds could be taken from Ennis and Nenagh hospitals as a result of the huge shortfall in HSE finances.
At a public meeting in the West County Hotel, Ennis, on Monday night, Mr Pike reiterated that the union’s understanding from a briefing with HSE managers on Thursday was these cuts were in addition to the beds removed as part of the reconfiguration process.
Up to April 2009, Ennis hospital had 88 in-patient and six day beds that regularly failed to cope with admissions due to regular overcrowding.
Once 24-hour accident and emergency services and acute surgical services were removed later that year, the number of beds was reduced to its present complement of 55 in-patient beds.
HSE West director of operations, John Hennessy told The Clare Champion on Wednesday that the executive had no plans to remove an additional 25 beds from Ennis hospital.
Mr Hennessy said that the 25 beds referred to had already been removed from Ennis hospital during the reconfiguration process.