Overwhelming public support for more Government funding for Crumlin Hospital

8 in 10 adults say Crumlin Children’s Hospital needs more Government funding

Dublin, Ireland - August 26th, 2003 - Results of a nationwide opinion poll show that 8 in 10 adults (78%) believe that Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, needs more Government funding.

The poll was carried out by leading market research company Behaviour & Attitudes among a nationally representative sample of 1200* adults and commissioned by the New Crumlin Hospital Group, which is seeking the complete and urgent redevelopment of the hospital.

The national nature of the poll, and similarity of responses across geographical regions, indicates that public concern about conditions at the hospital is widespread across the country.

Commenting on the findings, Karl Anderson, Chairman of the New Crumlin Hospital Group said that the Government must accept these results as a clear statement from the people of Ireland that they want the crisis at Crumlin Hospital to come to an end without delay.

‘These are the wishes of the people; not the words from a consultant’s report, an expert group or a task force. They deserve to be listened to and acted upon without further delay,’ he said.

Support ‘Special Case’ for Crumlin

The poll also shows that when it comes to Government funding, the majority of the population (56%) believe that Crumlin hospital should be considered ahead of other hospitals. (Only 10% said it should not be considered ahead of other hospitals.)

These results support calls by the New Crumlin Hospital Group for the hospital to be treated as a ‘special case’ and not delayed by the ongoing debates and deliberations about the administration of the health system.

Extraordinarily high involvement and awareness of the Hospital

The results also show that almost 1 in 5 (18%) of parents nationally who have children under 15 years of age, have had a child or children treated at Crumlin Hospital.

There was also a very high level of awareness of the Hospital as a national children’s hospital. When asked to name a national children’s hospital,

• 50% named Crumlin Children’s Hospital
• 23% named Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin
• 19% named Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children

Call for publication of timetable

The New Crumlin Hospital Group is calling on the Minister for Health and Children to immediately publish the timetable for the redevelopment of the hospital and for the Government to commit the resources necessary to guarantee that its complete redevelopment can be fast tracked.

‘The Minister promised a timetable for the redevelopment of Crumlin Hospital in February, six months later the timetable has not materialised. We are urging him to immediately and publicly inject the urgency, drive and ambition that is needed to end the appalling crisis at Crumlin and show, by his actions, that he is serious about addressing the crisis, ’ said Karl Anderson, Chairman of the New Crumlin Hospital Group.

‘The Minister must not let money and bureaucracy prolong the suffering for parents and their children. If An Taoiseach and Minister for Finance, do not have the money to invest in Crumlin Hospital, they should say so and encourage some alternative and innovative approaches, involving the private sector, that could see the hospital completely redeveloped within a few years.

‘At the current rate of progress it is unlikely that the terrible conditions that exist at the hospital will improve until the end of the decade.

‘The public has now spoken. The time has come for decisive action and an end to the rhetoric,’ he said.

He concluded: “The results of this poll are a huge endorsement that our call for the urgent redevelopment of Crumlin Hospital is shared by hundreds of thousands of adults around the country.

For further information contact: Karl Anderson Mob: 087 280 4700
Mail: info@newcrumlinhospital.org
Web: www.newcrumlinhospital.org

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