Vol. 520 No. 1
215 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will have examinations made into a situation set out by a person (details supplied) that haemophiliacs living outside Dublin are more at risk from illness because of an sub-standard health service; and if a more comprehensive service will be provided in Galway and Cork. [15148/00]
The provision of hospital services in this instance is the statutory responsibility of the relevant health boards.
The national centre for haemophilia and related laboratory and clinical facilities is situated at St. James's Hospital and this centre provides a range of specialist services at national level. As such, this centre has particular responsibility for the treatment of persons with haemophilia. Haemophilia is a rare disorder and best international practice suggests that treatment should be provided in designated centres that meet certain criteria particularly in relation to the number of patients registered in individual centres. This reflects the need for a high level of collective experience in treating patients with this rare condition.
While the national centre is located at St. James's Hospital, services for persons with haemophilia are also provided in Cork and Galway under the supervision of a consultant haematologist. Both these centres work closely with the national centre in St. James's Hospital with a view to ensuring that the appropriate level of service is provided to persons with haemophilia. Both the Southern and Western Health Boards reject the claim that patients with haemophilia attending their board's hospitals are at risk and detailed arrangements are in place in both Cork and Galway to ensure that appropriate priority is accorded to the needs of persons with haemophilia.
216 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether it is acceptable that medical students may be employed to take blood samples from patients at the country's largest hospital, St. James's Hospital, as a means of reducing the workload of junior doctors, since the medicine board of the hospital has opposed this situation. [15149/00]
Medical students have been employed to provide a phlebotomist service in St. James's Hospital for many years now with the full approval of the medical board of the hospital. These students have received appropriate training from experienced phlebotomists. Such practices are important steps in a medical student's training and allow students to gain valuable experience. Students are formally employed by the hospital for this purpose and are remunerated accordingly.
