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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Hospitals Building Programme.

Noel Ahern

Question:

513 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position with regard to the proposed new theatre in a hospital in Dublin 12; the reason a delay has occurred; when construction will now commence; the alternative arrangements that are being made for children on the waiting list; if the existing cardiac theatres are working to full capacity; the numbers on the waiting lists for cardiac procedures in this hospital; and if he will give a progress report on the list. [24377/00]

Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin is the national paediatric cardiac centre. I am committed to ensuring that Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children is in a position to respond to the demand for its cardiology-cardiac surgery services. It was in this context that my Department sanctioned a major theatre development at the hospital. This theatre development, when completed, will provide five new operating theatres complete with ancillary accommodation, a day surgery area and a central sterile supplies department. The existing theatre facilities will also be upgraded to provide a further two theatre suites. When these theatres are fully commissioned it is expected that the hospital will be in a position to perform an additional 100 paediatric cardiac procedures per annum, which is an increase of 40 per cent on its existing capacity.

There is no delay with the development. I am advised that it is progressing on schedule and that tenders for the development will issue in January 2001 with commencement of work on site in the spring of 2001.

With regard to the existing theatre facilities at the hospital, I am advised that one theatre is not in operation at the present time. The closure of the theatre is attributed by the hospital to nursing staff vacancies which they are endeavouring to resolve by means of a major nursing recruitment initiative abroad, mainly in the Middle East. Nothwithstanding the closure of the theatre for the reason outlined, the hospital is managing the situation and I am assured that theatre activity has not suffered significantly as a consequence of this closure.

I am aware that there has been concern over waiting times in this speciality. Some of the measures cited by the hospital as contributing to the increasing pressure on this service were the lack of theatre space and ICU beds, shortage of ICU trained nurses and advances in surgical and interventional techniques available

In December 1997 the hospital was allocated a sum of £500,00 from the cardiac waiting list initiative to implement measures aimed at reducing pressures in the most effective and appropriate manner. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 under the same initiative the hospital was allocated sums of £878,550, £679,000 and £700,000 respectively. The funding has been used for a number of measures aimed at reducing waiting times in this specialty. These include the provision of an additional four ICU beds, the implementation of a training programme for ICU nurses and the purchase of cardiac procedures from appropriate UK paediatric hospitals.

The following table shows the number of chil dren referred to the UK for surgery in the years 1997 to 1999:

Year

Number

1997

18

1998

30

1999

69

The hospital have advised that a further 69 children will be referred in the current year.
An additional cardiothoracic surgeon commenced duty at the hospital in August of this year and the hospital has recently submitted an application for a fourth consultant cardiologist. Two consultant anaesthetist posts have also been recently advertised by the hospital.
The following table sets out the number of public patients waiting over three months for cardiac surgery since December 1998.

3-6 months

over 6 months

Total

Dec 98

16

57

73

Mar 99

20

57

77

June 99

18

66

84

Sept 99

11

65

76

Dec 99

21

67

88

Mar 00

6

69

75

June 00

10

66

76

The Deputy may wish to note that as Crumlin is the only hospital providing a paediatric cardiac surgery service and that both private and public patients are assessed and prioritised for surgery based on clinical need.
I am satisfied that the measures which I have outlined, together with the theatre development will significantly enhance the hospital's capacity to meet the demands being made of it for its cardiology-cardiac surgery services.
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