I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.
I am very conscious of the scale of the financial challenge faced by the HSE this year. All hospitals have to seek efficiencies, and I have emphasised to the HSE that budgetary compliance must be maintained, while delivering the service levels promised in the National Service Plan. Both activity and expenditure at Connolly Hospital are ahead of the levels approved in the 2011 National Service Plan. With this in mind, a comprehensive review of services at the hospital has been undertaken by the HSE and hospital management.
On 18 August last the Department of Health was informed that the HSE had confirmed to my Department that measures were being planned to ensure that Connolly remains within budget by year end. In mid September the Department of Health was advised by the HSE that a number of options were being reviewed relating to procurement of all externally sourced services and goods, agency staffing and overtime levels, in-patient, day case and out-patient activity and improved / additional income collection measures to increase private income collection. On 23 September 2011, I was advised by the HSE that a cost containment plan was in place including the closure of 24 acute beds, seasonal closures of the OPD/Surgical Day Ward, additional reductions in agency and overtime per month from August 2011 and curtailment of activity while remaining within national targets.
On 3 October 2011 I met with Consultants and Senior Management Personnel when I opened the Endoscopy Unit at the Hospital. The specific details in relation to bed closures at Connolly were raised in the Dáil and the media on the 6 and 7 October 2011. On 10 October, the HSE confirmed to my Department the temporary closure of the surgical day ward for 2 weeks from 24 October 2011 and its reopening on 7 November 2011 with a reduction from 24 to 8 places. In addition a further temporary closure for 3 weeks is planned from 19 December. The phased closure of 12 in-patient surgical beds between then and the end of the year was also confirmed by the HSE.
Questions Nos. 516 to 527, inclusive, answered with Question No. 511.