Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
1402. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will request the Health Service Executive to reinstate the acute and chronic pain management clinic in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and to have it included in their service plan for this regional hospital covering four counties with a population of 300,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37708/13]
View answerA Chronic Pain Service was previously developed in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda by a Consultant Anaesthetist who had the appropriate skills to provide this service. The clinic ran from February 2012 to December 2012 until the Consultant left the position. During this time 161 patients had been seen by this Consultant, who specialised in this area of pain management. A total of 203 remained on his waiting list when he left and these referrals have been returned to the referral source.
I have been informed by the HSE that there has been no success to date in recruiting a clinician with equivalent expertise and therefore Our Lady of Lourdes hospital is no longer able to provide this service.
However, as the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced the reorganisation of public hospitals into more efficient and accountable hospital groups that will deliver improved outcomes for patients. By working in groups, hospital services will be provided by the hospitals in each group, based on the evidence based needs of their populations.
Each group of hospitals will work together as single cohesive entities managed as one, to provide acute care for patients in their area, integrating with community and primary care. This will maximise the amount of care delivered locally, whilst ensuring complex care is safely provided in larger hospitals.
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda will form part of the Dublin North East Hospital Group where a public pain clinic is provided at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
