Maureens baby bought for hospital

Bantry Hospital

BY JACKIE KEOGH

A NEW piece of equipment worth almost €25,000 has been purchased by the Friends of Bantry General Hospital.

The organisation – which returned Declan Hurley as chairperson, Valarie Stevenson as secretary, Michael Hennebry as treasurer and Robert Fennell as PRO at its AGM last Tuesday night – paid €24,600 for a Glosair 400 unit that is being used to sterilise rooms.

The machine, which is used in preventing hospital-acquired illnesses, such as MRSA, was paid for out of funds that the organisation and the community raised for the hospital. PRO Robert Fennell confirmed that it has been affectionately christened ‘Maureen’s baby’ by the staff.

The Friends of Bantry Hospital, all of whom are volunteers, depend on the wider community of West Cork for its resources. And it is a measure of the esteem in which the organisation is held that they have been able to raise €629,000 in recent years and use that money to buy life-saving equipment.

In addition to the new Glosair, the organisation has used community funding to purchase a CT Scanner, an endoscopy, and an ultrasound – all of which enhance patient care at Bantry General Hospital.

According to Mr Fennell: ‘It is very much a case of “A lot done and more to do”, but the PRO added that the organisation is determined to continue to support and enhance the excellent service provided by all of the staff at Bantry General Hospital.

Mr Fennell also indicated that the organisation would welcome new members, volunteers and supporters. The next meeting of the Friends of Bantry General Hospital will take place at 7pm at the hospital on Tuesday, March 3.