Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 1997

Vol. 483 No. 4

Written Answers. - Hospital Closure.

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I presume the Deputy's question relates to the transfer of radiotherapy services from St. Anne's to St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin. By way of background, I should explain that St. Luke's and St. Anne's Hospitals were incorporated by Establishment Order in 1988 and since then the hospital has been run by a joint board of management.

In 1993 it was agreed that radiotheraphy and oncology services at St. Luke's-St. Anne's Hospital should be consolidated at one site, St. Luke's. It was also agreed with the Daughters of Charity to develop palliative care services by transferring some of the services provided at St. Anne's to the new in-patient facility at St. Francis Hospice, Raheny. This new 19 bedded unit has since been commissioned and represents a significant enhancement in the provision of palliative care services.

My Department is presently involved in a major redevelopment of St. Luke's Hospital at a cost of approximately £20 million. This redevelopment, which has the full support of all interests represented on the board of the hospitals, involves the complete upgrading of accommodation throughout the hospital and the provision of a package of new radiotherapy equipment. As part of the development, services at St. Anne's will transfer to the new St. Luke's Hospital which will have 144 beds, including day beds and hostel places. These beds will be situated in an environment providing all normal modern hospital facilities, e.g. medical gases, nurse call system, patient amenities such as radio and TV and easy access to all areas of the hospital. The hostel, which will have 20 beds available, will be specifically designed to support patients from outside Dublin in need of overnight accommodation while attending for therapy.

The concentration of all facilities on one site will enable patients from across the country to benefit from the modern radiotherapy treatment facilities being installed at St. Luke's as part of the redevelopment and will ensure the delivery of quality oncology services by St. Luke's as the national tertiary referral centre.

The hospital has assured me that any patients who would otherwise have been treated at St. Anne's will be admitted to St. Luke's following the closure of St. Anne's. All the arrangements necessary are being put in place to ensure continuity of care for patients. Finally, the hospital has stressed that admissions to St. Luke's Hospital is based on clinical need as defined by the consultant in charge.