Cecilia Keaveney
Question:120 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the current cross-Border health initiatives; their nature and intended duration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3789/97]
Written Answers. - Cross-Border Health Initiatives.
Limerick East): There is already a notable degree of cross-Border co-operation at both ministerial and official level regarding health matters. Agreement has been reached on the establishment of a joint institute of public health which will be multidisciplinary in nature and will concern itself with disease surveillance, development of information systems, research, education and training. It will act as a resource centre on issues affecting public health. Discussions with the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland are well advanced in relation to the location of the institute in the college and it is hoped that it will be established within months.
Another initiative relates to the disposal of helthcare waste of a potentially hazardous nature. Regular contact between the two Departments of Health led to the conclusion that both jurisdictions had similar problems in this regard. The advantages of a joint approach in tackling this difficult problem were recognised, particularly in providing mutual support to each system and achieving economies of scale in the provision of a service for disposal of waste. Following examination of the issue by a joint working group it was agreed that there would be at least one disposal facility in Northern Ireland and at least two in the Republic. Tenders are currently being examined and it is hoped to have a contractor appointed by the end of this month.
Following discussion with the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland, an informal arrangement has now been entered into which will allow for the referral of a limited number of adult patients from Northern Ireland to St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin for liver transplantation.
In general patients from Northern Ireland requiring a liver transplant will continue to be referred to Kings College Hospital, London. However, it has been agreed that there may be occasions when it would be clinically advantageous to refer a patient to St. Vincent's Hospital, rather than to London, if, for example, the additional travel to London is considered to be unduly hazardous to the patient. The Department of Health is at present finalising a number of aspects of the arrangement with St. Vincent's Hospital.
Finally, "Co-operation and Working Together" is an initiative undertaken since 1992 by the four health boards responsible for services on both sides of the border. The aim is to improve the health and social wellbeing of the resident populations in the CAWT boards' areas by: exploiting the opportunities for co-operation in the planning and provision of services; involving other public sector bodies in joint initiatives where this would help fulfil the primary objectives; assisting Border areas in overcoming special developmental problems; developing joint initiatives that would merit application for EU and other external funding.