Vol. 560 No. 1
594 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if all medical contracts will be honoured in terms of recognition for NCHD; if training will be retained; and if proper provision will be made if an emergency patient presents out of hours at St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, given the closure of the accident and emergency department at night. [27129/02]
The question of recognition of hospitals and or specific non-consultant hospital doctor posts for training purposes is a matter for the Medical Council and the training bodies in the first instance. The council and-or the training bodies liaise directly with the relevant health board or hospital in this regard.
Given that decisions regarding training posts may have service implications, I established the inter-agency healthcare forum in 2001 to act as a forum where both the regulatory bodies and the service providers and other key stakeholders meet to discuss these issues to progress developments and to find resolutions to any problems which arise.
As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the provision of services rests with the individual health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. In the case of St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, the relevant board is the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department, has therefore requested the regional chief executive officer of the authority to investigate the position regarding accident and emergency services at the hospital and to reply directly to the Deputy.
