Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Fine Gael Councillor for Connemara North Eileen Mannion has expressed concern that the District Hospital in Clifden will not see its full complement of beds reinstated.
In 2016 funding of €9 million was allocated for a new 50 bed unit which would see the merging of Clifden District Hospital and St Anne's Community Nursing Home.
The project was due to be completed by 2021 but it is well behind schedule with a design team only been appointed in 2019.
At the moment only 12 beds are in use from an initial number of 33.
Speaking yesterday, Councillor Mannion has asked the HSE to clarify their position on the hospital.
She said "The District Hospital is a vital facility which provides respite and step down beds, a day care centre and a space for WestDoc when required. It also has an x-ray machine which unfortunately is not being used at present.
"Since Covid-19 the number of beds available for respite and step down have reduced and there are concerns that the full complement of beds will not be reinstated. In August 2020 the bed capacity was 21 and at present there are 12 beds in use.
"The x-ray machine has not been in use for sometime
"We hear everyday of the overcrowding at UCHG and the long delays in A&E. The HSE should be increasing the services available in Clifden and as a priority they must reinstate the x-ray facility."
