Dr. Neilus Cronin has retired from his position as consultant in Mallow General Hospital, and the Friends of Mallow Hospital made him a presentation at their AGM, to honour his long years of commitment to the patients in Mallow Hospital and to the Committee of the Friends of Mallow Hospital. Pictured are Dr. Daniel Schmidt, John Naughton, Gerard Falvey (Friends Chairperson),Tim Ring, Dr. Neilus Cronin, Donal Cashman, Dr. John Kiely and Noel OConnor.
The Friends of Mallow of Mallow Hospital held their Annual General Meeting in Mallow General Hospital on Thursday last. There was a good attendance. Gerard Falvey was elected as chairperson. The meeting initially took some time out to allow members of the committee to pay their respects in the matter of the untimely death of our Chairperson Jack Madden since the last AGM.
The minutes of the previous AGM having been approved, Treasurer Noel O’Connor presented the audited report compiled by accountants John O’Connell and Co. Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors. Included in this report was the expenditure in 2019 of eight specialised blood pressure monitors and the provision of upgraded diagnostic equipment for the Medical Assessment Unit of the Hospital. The accounts were approved by the meeting and the treasurer thanked all those who engaged in church gate collections throughout the year. Mr. O’Connor paid special tribute to Patsy O’Gorman from Glanworth who not alone works in security at the hospital but organises collections in areas like Castletownroche, Glanworth, Ballyhooly, Araglen and Kilworth in conjunction with locals in those areas. Mr. O’Gorman was unable to attend the AGM but he sent a message to the meeting to say that those people in the north Cork area, on the western side of Mallow, will continue to support Mallow General Hospital as they realise the magnificent services provided in the hospital, and many indeed have had to avail of the wonderful services provided in the Hospital.
The Friends were delighted to invite recently retired Dr. Cornelius Cronin MD FRCPI, Consultant Physician with Mallow General Hospital, to attend the AGM. Chairperson Gerard Falvey made a presentation to Dr. Cronin to recognise the wonderful work he had done for the many patients he looked after in the hospital over the many years he served as consultant physician. Dr. Cronin, on receiving the presentation, said: “ All of us staff in the hospital, doctors, nurses, office staff and general workers are extremely happy to have such an active Friends group in the hospital. The support of the Friends is most encouraging and long may the Friends continue their good work. The hospital is now operating in a very satisfactory way and the money spent by the HSE in the hospital has greatly enhanced the patient care here, which is the primary purpose of the hospital. It was most encouraging for me to see that, a short while before I retired, in a survey of ‘patient satisfaction’ in hospitals in Ireland, Mallow General Hospital came right up there as one of the top three hospitals in the country. This was a phenomenal result and was a great positive mark for the way in which the hospital works. Now that I have left Mallow General Hospital, I know that it is in the good care of a wonderful staff and I would like to wish one and all of them every good wish in the fantastic care and attentive support they give the patients attending the hospital.”
Consultants Dr. John Kiely and Dr. Daniel Schmidt attended the meeting. Dr. Kiely wished Dr. Cronin well in his retirement. He said that Dr. Cronin had done some wonderful work for the patients in the hospital. He said that it was great that Dr. Daniel Scmidt has taken up the post of Consultant Physician in Mallow General Hospital. Dr. Schmidt said that this meeting of the Friends was the second meeting he had attended. He was very encouraged by what he had seen at these two meetings. From his time in other hospitals, he said that in any hospital it is vitally important to have a support group for the hospital. He wished the officers elected at the meeting every success in the next twelve months and he looked forward to working with the committee over the next twelve months.
The following officers were elected for the coming year: Chairperson Gerard Falvey, Treasurer Noel O’Connor, Asst. Treasurers Donal Cashman and Tim Ring, PRO Donal Cashman, Asst. PRO Pat O’Gorman, committee members David Curry, John Naughton, Dr. Neil Cronin, Dr. John Kiely, Dr. Daniel Schmidt, Cllr. Gearoid Murphy, and Michael O Callaghan.