Union representatives in Cork are seeking an urgent meeting with Gerry O' Dwyer HSE Network Manager for the Southern Hospitals Group to discuss the future of St Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital (SMOH). Health workers at the hospital are seriously concerned about the future of their jobs following revelations that the Cork University Hospitals Group is considering reviewing the orthopaedic elective service and the plastic surgery elective service at SMOH with a view to determining how best the service can be delivered into the future.

Joe O' Callaghan, Siptu's Health Sector Organiser for Cork City said members are fearful that the orthopaedic elective services and the plastic surgery elective services may be transferred to Cork University Hospital and are very worried about what this will mean for their jobs. Currently, there are in the region of 230 people working at the hospital. "There are huge concerns among members who were shocked to learn about this news. They are totally opposed to this retrograde move and I am now writing to Gerry O' Dwyer to seek an immediate meeting with him to discuss these fears," he said.

Mr O' Callaghan, who is also a member of Cork City Council , said that the transfer of services would have huge social, health and economic consequences for the northside of the city and said that he would be doing all he could as a union representative and as a councillor to make sure it would not happen. "We'll be damned if we are going to let these services go without a fight," he said. However, responding to the concerns, a spokesperson for the HSE said that there would not be any job losses at SMOH. "No decision has been made on transferring services at SMOH and it is too early to speculate what this decision will be. In the event that there is a transfer of services from the orthopaedic, people would also be given the opportunity to transfer. There will be no job losses.

"With the transfer of breast cancer services from the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital to the Cork University Hospital staff were given the option to transfer to the CUH and it would be the same case here," he said.

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