Vol. 542 No. 5
281 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will get treatment in Beaumont Hospital; his views on whether patients coming from counties such as Monaghan who have to depend on hospitals outside their own health board area are subject to longer than average waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24877/01]
Responsibility for the provision of medical treatment to residents of County Monaghan rests with the North Eastern Health Board. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in this case and reply to the Deputy directly.
The need for hospital treatment is usually determined by the patient's general practitioner, who also determines the point of referral for the patient based on his or her knowledge of the service which will best meet the patient's medical need. Equity of access geographically is one of the key principles underpinning health policy. This means patients should have access to a wide range of hospital services in reasonable proximity to their homes and, in the case of specialist services, such services should be provided in designated national or supra-regional centres, with equal access for patients, irrespective of their place of residence.
I have recently given approval to the North Eastern Health Board to proceed to design team selection and appointment in respect of the development of facilities at the Monaghan General Hospital. The project will include the development of the special care unit, accident and emergency facilities and ward accommodation upgrading. Funding for these developments is being provided from the indicative funding for capital developments notified to the board under the national development plan and will be of the order of £5 million – 6.35 million.
