Letterkenny General Hospital

Infobox Hospital
Name = Letterkenny General Hospital
Org/Group = Health Service Executive

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Location = Letterkenny
Region = County Donegal
State = Republic of Ireland
Country = Ireland
HealthCare = HSE
Type = General
Speciality =
Emergency = Yes
Affiliation=
Beds = 300
Founded = 1960
Closed =
Website =
Wiki-Links = |

Letterkenny General Hospital (LGH) ( _ga. Ospidéal Ginearálta Leitir Ceanainn) is an acute hospital serving the inhabitants of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. The hospital currently employs over 1440 people, with more than 545 of these being nursing staff [ [http://www.hse.ie/en/FactFileHome/CountyInformation/Donegal/LetterkennyGeneralHospital/#staff No. of Staff] ] . It contains around 300 beds at present [ [http://www.hse.ie/en/FactFileHome/CountyInformation/Donegal/LetterkennyGeneralHospital/#beds No. of Beds] ] .

History

Nowadays the hospital consists of a single storey building that dates from the 1960s, and a multi-storey extension built above this and opened in 1981. Most of the facilities are housed in this building but some, such as the dental and mental facilities, are housed across the road in St. Conal's Hospital. Letterkenny General Hospital was designated as one of 30 hospitals in the country to carry out the termination of pregnancy if the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill was passed. The proposal was rejected. [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10657081.html Letterkenny Hospital to carry out abortions] "Belfast Telegraph", February 22, 2002] The hospital was rated as having "poor" hygiene in a 2007 hygiene review [ [http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=12533 Huh! "Poor" Hygiene] ] and was voted as having the worst maternity service in the country by hospital patients and their relatives in a "Rate My Hospital" survey. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2007/11/02/story46901.asp Country’s ‘best maternity service’ voted on] , "Irish Examiner", November 2, 2007]

Pituitary glands scandal

In July 2008 it was made public that Letterkenny General Hospital was one of the hospitals in the country where doctors profited from the sale of children's pituitary glands. This happened after the discovery of documents under Freedom of Information showing cheques were paid to several hospitals including Letterkenny. The documents showed various cheques were given to the hospital for various sums including £418 and £65. [ [http://www.independent.ie/national-news/drug-companies-gave-out-cheques-for-child-organs-1433081.html Drug companies gave out cheques for child organs] , "Irish Independent", 15 July 2008] [ [http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/3423/Letterkenny-General-named-in-national.4295919.jp Letterkenny General named in national organ controversy] , "Donegal Democrat", 17 July 2008]

Layout

The main hospital building has a total of five storeys, labelled Floor A to E in ascending order. Upper floors may be accessed by stairs or by lifts, of which there are three. Floor A is dedicated to reception, administration and the day clinic and also contains the hospital shop. Floor B contains the casualty area, radiography centre, medical wards 1 and 2, stationery department, coffee dock and staff canteen amongst others. Floor C houses the orthopaedic and paediatric units and Floor D houses surgical wards 1 and 2, as well as the HDUs (High Dependency Units). Floor E is where all surgery takes place and is also where the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and its waiting room may be found.

Hospital specialities

Gallery

Interior

Exterior

References

External links

* [http://www.nwhb.ie/files/sites/letterkenny/default.shtml Information from the Health Service Executive]