asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the result of the referendum held in connection with the retention and upgrading of Mallow County Hospital, Cork as a surgical unit; and, if so, if he is prepared to meet the expressed wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people of the area in this regard.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mallow County Hospital.
2.
I have seen press reports of the results of an unofficial opinion poll in north Cork in relation to Mallow Hospital.
As the Deputy is aware, there has been no suggestion of the discontinuance of the use of the Mallow Hospital. If there were any unfounded doubts about this they should have been removed by the decision to carry out significant building works there-works which are now in progress.
The issue which arises is the nature of the patient care services which would be appropriate in the future. This is a problem of the organisation of health care services on an effective and rational basis across the board. It is one that exercises health administration in every country. The Oireachtas, through the enactment of the Health Act, 1970, and the approval of regulations made under that Act, has agreed to the setting-up of a new structure of health services administration which has the reorganisation and improvement of our services as a priority task. One of the main implications in this is that the services should be looked at as a whole and that development should be on a fully co-ordinated basis.
Changes in needs coupled with advances in medicine emphasise the necessity to make adjustments in structures and functions to do a better job. The use of simplistic and emotive terms like "up-grading" and "downgrading" contributes nothing to the attainment of this objective—it serves simply to frustrate efforts to provide the kind of safe effective services which the people need. For example, if surgery ceases in a hospital and the maternity service is expanded while, at the same time, general practitioners in the area can look after patients needing medical treatment, and patients return from a surgical hospital for convalescence this is not in my view "down-grading".
In the case of Mallow Hospital, I have made it clear that no immediate change is proposed in the services provided there. I understand that a permanent surgeon is appointed and is due to take up duty in February. The new bodies concerned, the Cork Regional Hospital Board and Comhairle na nOspidéal will have an opportunity to go fully into the question of the future role of the hospital before any question of a change in any aspect of that role is decided on. I do not propose to take any action affecting the role of the hospital pending consideration of the matter by these bodies.
There was no mention in the question of much of the statement which the Minister has just made. Would he agree that at this very hour in Mallow County Hospital a serious position obtains because of lack of surgical facilities, and is likely to obtain until the date in February which he mentioned? Is he seriously thinking of doing anything about it as Minister for Health?
The Deputy should know that there is a vacancy for a temporary county surgeon which has been advertised by the Southern Health Board. Quite frequently when a new surgeon is appointed he does not take up duty in the hospital before a certain date, and temporary surgeons have to be appointed. In this case the Southern Health Board made approaches to six surgeons in Cork city to do temporary service in Mallow pending the coming into office of a permanent surgeon on the 15th February. They failed to secure agreement.
Would the Minister say why they failed?
Recently they advertised. On Monday, 13th November, there was an advertisement in the papers for a temporary county surgeon for Mallow County Hospital. The Southern Health Board are doing all they can to get surgical work performed in the hospital before 15th February.
The Minister will agree that there is considerable concern and anxiety among the people there, including the physicians, and that nothing is being said by him to allay those fears. If he could do this, perhaps it might ease some of the anxiety and concern in that area at the moment. The Minister has done nothing to allay these fears.
It is clearly the responsibility of the Southern Health Board and they have made the position absolutely clear.
Is the Minister not aware that he over-ruled the decision of the Southern Health Board? Am I right in saying that he over-ruled their decision?
The Southern Health Board decided that they would retain a surgeon.
And the Minister said "No".
I did not say "No".
The Minister over-ruled their decision.
I did not.
The Minister's Department did.
Is the Minister aware that the Southern Health Board have gone to a lot of trouble to get a temporary surgeon for Mallow Hospital? If the Deputy will submit names of the Minister the Minister will consider them. This would be a good idea. We are worried about it but they are only playing politics.