Rant About Ranters and NonFact Readers
So in Ireland there are three children's hospitals: Tallaght Hospital, Temple Street Hospital and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin (commonly called Crumlin Hospital).
I can't remember exactly when, I'm guessing about two years ago, it was decided that ONE hospital with everything in it should be built for the children, and ideally it should be located on the grounds of an adult hospital site. Bascially so that the country's expertised was housed in one building etc. To me it makes sense.
A report was undertaken and it looked at several hospitals around the world in order to make a list of what the new hospital should have and what it should be like if that makes sense. Then the report do-ers looked at a few different sites to relocate the new hospital: A greenfield site was one, Tallaght I think was another. So skip the light fandango and The Mater Hospital (incidentally where I attend now) site was chosen. This is located in the north inner city - loads of traffic, hard to get to from the country etc, etc.
There was hoo-haww because it happens to be in Bertie Ahearn's (Taiseach/Primeminsiter)constituency and he "coulda rigged it!".
My opinion: It should be built where RTE is located - a mere minutes away from Vincent's Hospital. It's a PERFECT site, just beside the dual carraige way (easy access) and yet it's its own site. Of course trying to get journalists to move out of RTE just wouldn't happen so it wasn't evenm considered.
ANYWAYS, browsing bebo today I come across a page entitled "SAVE OUR LADY'S CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN CRUMLIN" which is run by a mother of five who feels "The loss of this Hospital to the local people and patients far and wide would be a great blow". I think from the gist of the site that "the loss of this Hospital to the local people" is probably the main concern. There is a great deal of bias on the site and when people come in who don't read facts and are so easily swayed by hype it gets annoying. For example some of the support comments read:
"Cant believe they want to shut down a childrens hospital -You have all the support from us mums" and "hope our stupid Government dont close de hospital down." - They're not shutting down a hospital full stop, they are relocating it. Big difference.
Most of the other comments speak of their own experiences with Crumlin but nearly ALL of them want to save Crumlin for emotinal reasons. "They saved my life" etc.
What people don't realise is that it is paramount that they rebuild the hospital. A simple 'lick of paint' or 'get it done up' won't do. Like Vincent's there are no ensuite rooms. Even in the Oncology ward which includes the Bone Marrow Transplant unit (where people are SERIOUSLY unwell - we're talking no immune systems at all) they don't have the facilities. Chemotherapy for Irish children is housed in a porta-cabin!!
The point of this ramble is one I privately...or who are kidding, PUBLICLY rant about all the time. People and moaners who sit back in their chairs, read absolutely nothing of FACT and then shout their opinion from the highest building. Everybody blames Mary Harney our health minister for what's wrong with the health service. Was she the one who mucked it up years ago? No she has been health minister for four years. Where do you begin untangelling a spider web? Are people so naive that they believe things can be fixed overnight? I'm not getting into a politics rant as goodness knows I could be here all evening.
Cruicially and this backs up my last point is that nearly ALL the comments on that page say "think of the children". Yes, we should. And that is why a new hospital is needed.
