asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the great concern and anxiety prevailing in North Cork consequent on the proposal contained in the hospital reorganisational plan which, if implemented, will have the effect of down-grading the Mallow County Hospital to the status of a clinic; and if he will now allay the fears of the people and give an assurance that a centre of the extent and importance of Mallow and its vast hinterland will not lose this most efficient and necessary medical and surgical unit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North Cork Hospital Reorganisation.
110.
The Consultative Council on the General Hospital Services has recommended that, because of the proximity to Cork city of Mallow and its surrounding area, the acute hospital services for this area should be provided from the major hospital centre in Cork. The Council also recommended that the role of the present county hospital in Mallow should be changed to that of a community health centre. Such a centre would provide inpatient services for normal maternity patients, for some medical cases and for geriatric patients. In addition, it would have a wide range of consultant outpatient services, including radiology and other diagnostic facilities.
I have already indicated that I am in agreement in principle with the recommendations of the Consultative Council. The implementation of these recommendations in particular cases, such as Mallow, will need to be considered in detail in consultation with the Health Authority. In the meantime, I am prepared to consider what works of improvement it is necessary to carry out at Mallow Hospital.
Will it be another seven years before this is implemented?
The report, in any event, suggested giving priority to better hospital services in Dublin.
Would the Minister be able to say in regard to those community health centres how they propose to staff them and if they will be used as community health centres only rather than providing out-patient services?
The fact that they are being called community health centres does not mean they will not have a very large range of activity. In effect what will happen is that surgeons will be moved out of hospitals like Mallow hospital into bigger general or regional hospitals but, as I pointed out, those centres will have normal maternity services, medical services and geriatric services. There will be a considerable number of outpatients and this will be organised through the integration of the local GPs with the community health centres.
Does the Minister mean that if some doctor sends a patient into a community health centre he will not get the full treatment?
The medical staff will be provided by the GPs. Those community health centres will have improved outpatient services. This is a very important priority irrespective of whether it is a community health centre or not.
There is widespread misunderstanding in regard to this.
Unfortunately, there is some misunderstanding.
If I put down a question will the Minister take the opportunity of making a statement on this?
Certainly.