Vol. 528 No. 2
141 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the location of specialist paediatric surgical services in Dublin; and if his advisory body for the development of paediatric services has made any report to him on the matter. [29883/00]
I assume that the Deputy may be referring to the Council for Children's Hospital Care which was established in 1999. The council's primary role is to assist the three paediatric hospitals, the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin and the National Children's Hospital at Tallaght, to work with each other and in conjunction with the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, to plan and develop acute paediatric services on a co-ordinated basis in the functional area of the authority. While the council has an important role regarding the development and other aspects of paediatric services it is not, per se, my advisory body in this regard.
Comhairle na nOspidéal is a statutory body set up under the Health Act 1970 and its main function is to regulate appointments of consultant medical staff in hospitals providing services under the Health Acts and to specify qualifications for such appointments. It also has a function to advise me on matters relating to the organisation and operation of hospital services as appropriate. Comhairle published a report in December 1998 on paediatric surgery services which included paediatric urology services. This report made a number of recommendations which were subsequently considered by the hospitals concerned.
The council has identified a number of priority areas which it wishes to address including, in particular, the area of paediatric specialist surgery. It has, in recent months, produced a report entitled Paediatric Specialist Surgery: An Outline of the Position and Options.
My Department and the ERHA support the council's view that the area of specialist paediatric surgery merits immediate attention and recognises Comhairle na nOspideal's statutory role in this regard. Discussions between all parties, that is, Comhairle, the council, the ERHA and my Department have taken place and the respective roles and expectations have been clarified. It is now generally agreed that there is a need for the preparation of a strategic plan for the development, organisation and delivery of acute paediatric services, including paediatric specialist surgery services.
I have signalled that a national review of all acute paediatric services will be a priority for my Department in 2001.
