asked the Minister for Health if she has received any request from the Southern Health Board to provide a major accident centre at Mallow Hospital, County Cork; and, if not, if she will direct that such a development takes place especially in view of the great services that the hospital staff have rendered.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Mallow Hospital.
3.
I have not received such a request. I would hesitate to issue a direction on the lines suggested by the Deputy. It is primarily for the health board to define the roles of each of their hospitals in their major accident plan and the plan must take account of various possibilities as to the nature of these accidents and their location. Hence, in the case of Cork, it is understandable that the major specialised regional hospital at Wilton is best situated to cope with the variety of conditions and circumstances for which the plan must cope. I do not think it would be reasonable for the board to duplicate at Mallow all the facilities available at Wilton.
I would make it clear that I fully recognise the role that Mallow can play, in conjunction with the regional hospital, in the major accident plan and the Mallow Hospital admirably demonstrated its ability to perform in this role on the occasion of the tragic rail crash at Buttevant in August 1980.
Would the Minister say if he has received plans for the development of out-patient and ancillary services at the County Hospital, Mallow, at this time?
I am sorry that I do not have the information requested but I shall communicate with the Deputy and give him that information. The original question was in relation to an accident plan.
It is not a separate question. The Minister should have that information. It is an on-going situation.
We are talking about a major accident centre.
Yes, but we are talking about Mallow Hospital. I know all about it. I put Mallow Hospital on the map.
I do not have all the information relevant to Mallow Hospital. The question is in connection with a major accident centre. I have given the information in that regard and I have no further information in relation to other uses of the hospital.
It is all about Mallow Hospital, a very important institution in that part of the world.
Would a major accident centre be designated for the Mallow area as it is a very important area? It caters for a very large catchment area with a growing population, with increasing industrial use, being at the crossroads of a very important rail junction. It played a very important part recently in a major accident. The Mallow Hospital catered very well in regard to this accident. Would the Minister designate this area as a major accident centre for the future?
I have given my reply referring to it. You have accident centres in hospitals like Tralee, Cork Regional Hospital and Bantry. Those are the three catering for that purpose under the Southern Health Board. I referred to Mallow in my reply to the effect that while Mallow is a support hospital in that regard, it is not thought necessary or advisable to duplicate the services that are available at Cork Regional Hospital in Mallow.
In view of the increased population there we feel aggrieved that it is not a major accident centre which is very necessary in the north Cork area.
The facilities are provided in places like Cork Regional Hospital and just because of an accident in Buttevant you do not determine that the local hospital should become a major accident centre. So, I cannot accede to the Deputy's request.
With the increased traffic on the roads it is essential that we have a major hospital nearer hand. The Mallow area caters for 20,000 people. We are surprised that Mallow has not been designated as a major hospital centre. Would the Minister make a commitment that in the future this would be designated a major accident centre?
I could not give that under-taking at this stage. Mallow at present is not equipped for what the Deputy has envisaged in his question. Considerable investment would be needed to provide facilities similar to those available in the regional hospital and I do not think it is necessary at this time.
Would the Minister agree that Mallow should not be downgraded in any way and that it did play a very major part after the Buttevant disaster? There is no doubt that six people would certainly have died if it had not been for Mallow Hospital and the facilities it had. Will the Minister give an undertaking that these facilities will be maintained and improved where that is necessary?
I agree with the Deputy in what he said in relation to the Buttevant accident and the contribution made by Mallow. It is my opinion, and I am answering for the Minister for Health, that Mallow Hospital should not be downgraded but should be improved during the years.
4.
asked the Minister for Health if her Department have received any request from the Southern Health Board to sanction a maternity hospital at Mallow, County Cork; if she favours such a development; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
My Department have had such a request. The provision of a maternity unit at Mallow has been a subject of consideration by the Southern Health Board, Comhairle na nOspidéal and my Department since May 1977. Essentially the problem in Mallow relates to the number of births which could be expected to take place at the unit. I am, however, having the matter reconsidered in the light of the latest statistics on population and prospective birth numbers.
I should like the Minister to give the matter urgent consideration with a view to having a maternity unit established in Mallow in the near future.
That is what I have said. I have told the House that I am having the matter reconsidered in the light of the latest statistics on population and prospective birth numbers. I am acceding to the Deputy's request.