Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Doctors.

Alan Shatter

Question:

307 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason Comhairle na Ospidéal recently turned down an application by Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, and Tallaght Hospital for a shared consultant paediatric surgeon after he had given financial clearance for an appointment; the explanation he has received from the comhairle; and the implications of this decision for the hospitals concerned. [9095/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The consultant paediatric surgeon application referred to by the Deputy is a restructuring of an existing post which is currently shared by the three Dublin paediatric hospitals, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, the Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital and The Children's Hospital, Temple Street. The application envisaged a new structure for the position to be shared between two of these hospitals, that is, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, and the Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital.

In December 1998 Comhairle published its report on paediatric surgery services. The report recommended that specialist paediatric surgery for children throughout the State be concentrated in one unit in Dublin with all three children's hospitals providing non-specialist paediatric surgery and less complex urology. Comhairle is satis fied that the report and its recommendation represented the best way forward for the organisation and delivery of high quality and safe paediatric surgical care for children in the State given the presence of three paediatric institutions in Dublin.

Comhairle na Ospidéal is a statutory body set up under the Health Act, 1970, and its main function is to regulate appointments of consultant medical staffs in hospitals providing services under the Health Acts, and to specify qualifications for such appointments.

The Comhairle has indicated to my Department that it welcomes this joint application for the post as evidence of co-operation between two of the hospitals involved. However, the Comhairle considers that the structure of the proposed post is contrary to that envisaged in its report. It does not indicate that specialist paediatric surgery will be concentrated in one unit, it leaves one hospital short of sessions, it does not address the restructuring of existing posts and has adverse implications for the structuring of other posts as set out in its report.

The Deputy will be aware that a joint council for children's hospital care has been established and includes representation from the three Dublin paediatric hospitals. The council's primary role is to assist the paediatric hospitals to work with each other and with the Eastern Regional Health Authority to plan and develop acute paediatric services on a co-ordinated basis in the functional area of the authority. One of the priority items identified for the council's work programme is the organisation of paediatric surgery in Dublin. My Department has already indicated its support for the restructuring of paediatric surgical services.

I understand that Comhairle has already informed the three paediatric hospitals and the council for children's hospital care of its concerns regarding this post and in the meantime I understand that consideration is being given to the filling of the existing consultant post in a locum capacity to ensure a continuation of service.

My Department together with the Eastern Regional Health Authority will keep this matter under review.