''Precarious' stroke service for Laois and broader region needs to be clarified, says Sinn Féin TD

"The current uncertainty in the region around services and response for suspected stroke victims needs to end," according to Sinn Fein TD for Laois-Offaly, Brian Stanley. 

“Serious questions have been raised with me regarding the precarious nature of services for patients from Laois and parts of Kildare, Offaly, Carlow and Tipperary. These people would have been referred to Naas but this has all changed," stated Deputy Stanley. 

Speaking in the Dáil, addressing the Taoiseach and Minister for Health, Deputy Stanley said, “The question I have for the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health is regarding stroke victims in Laois, Offaly Carlow, north Tipperary and Kildare, who appear to be left with a very precarious service since the stroke unit closed in Naas hospital. People coming to Portlaoise hospital with strokes were being sent to Naas but in the past month or so that has stopped. Apparently, there is a very precarious service at the moment.

"The expectation was that Tallaght would take them but apparently Tallaght is not obliged to because it is a voluntary hospital. Patients are being diverted to Kilkenny, which is in a different hospital group, which itself is problematic. There is no certainty for those patients. It is a serious situation. As a doctor, the Taoiseach will know that they need to be seen in a specialist stroke unit within the first four hours. Can he address this very serious situation?

In reply, the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said, “If there are specific service-level issues such as those the Deputy has raised, he might send me a note and I will get him a response. The Deputy will be aware that we are investing in stroke care. We have rolled out the first national stroke strategy this year.

"There is a lot more money going in, both in terms of the acute services and the very quick responses, which are making a huge difference to patients' recovery, and also in community rehab including neurorehabilitation teams. It is growing but if there are specific local issues, I ask the Deputy to let me know.”

Following the Dáil exchange Brian Stanley said, “I spoke again to the Minister and stressed to him the importance of removing any doubts that exist around the service and he gave a commitment to have this examined and to take it up with the HSE”.