Failure to install new CT scanner at South Tipperary General Hospital is causing unnecessary inconvenience to seriously ill patients

 Deputy Lowry Highlights CT Scanner Issues at South Tipperary General Hospital

A current CT scanner which is over 16 years old and presently installed at South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel has malfunctioned yet again. The immediate consequence of this equipment failure is that Tipperary patients are being transported to other hospitals in the region, to undergo urgent and necessary CT Scans.

“The absurdity of this issue, which I highlighted today, becomes even more ludicrous when we discover that there already exists a brand new CT scanner still packed in its box, waiting to be installed at the South Tipperary facility for almost 3 years. While it is understood that works are underway to install this new scanner I have been informed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) that it will be towards the end of 2016 before same is available for patients use.

As a result of the old CT scanner breaking down yet again, Hospital staffs are now obliged to transport urgent patients to facilities believed to include Waterford (52 min or 47.1km or 30 mls) and Limerick (1h-24 min or 82.6km or 51mls) depending on availability, for necessary CT Scans.

This incompetent state of affairs is causing unnecessary inconvenience to seriously ill patients, c the ambulance service and an overworked hospital staff, while also costing an already underfunded HSE unnecessary extra expense” concluded Michael Lowry T.D.