Parents are set to hold a demonstration this morning outside Connolly Children's Hospital over "outrageous" appointment-only changes to the Urgent Care Centre.
Children’s Health Ireland in Connolly Blanchardstown will have same day appointment-only services from February 22, with a Swiftqueue appointment service link to appear from tomorrow and their walk-in facility will also no longer be available. Last week West Dubliners were left "in shock" over the move, with calls for it to be reversed.
Now a group of parents from Help Our Children Ireland have confirmed to Dublin Live that they will be staging a protest outside Connolly Children's Hospital Blanchardstown at 10am this morning., with a meeting point at junction 6. Speaking to Dublin Live, parent Lesley Anne O'Brien and local Cllr Tania Doyle confirmed that they are organising the protest out of concern for children who desperately need the services provided at the hospital, including walk-in services.
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Lesley Anne said: "This decision by senior management is outrageous and compromises patient's safety especially children locally with underlying health conditions.
"This is a vital service that doesn't just cover Blanchardstown, it covers greater Dublin north west, Meath and Kildare. Myself Lesley Anne from Help Our Children's Ireland and local Cllr Tania Doyle are Calling on this decision to be reversed immediately," she added.
Last week Sinn Fein's Paul Donnelly TD said that he was "inundated" with calls from worried parents about the new changes. A spokeswoman for the Centre told Dublin Live that CHI was never an emergency department, and that the new changes will facilitate a better patient experience.
In a separate statement, CHI's Dr Ike Okafor said: “We acknowledge this is a change for families but our aim is to see the right patient with the right care in the right place at the right time.
"This will facilitate a better patient experience by scheduling appointment times over the course of each day and help reduce the risk of inappropriate clinical attendances better suited to either a local primary care setting or the nearest children’s Emergency Department”.
CHI will continue to offer healthcare access for thousands of children but the appointment-only service "will support families with a timely service and allow staff to manage minor injuries and minor illnesses in a safe environment".
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