Hospital Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 March 2017

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Questions (44, 49)

Shane Cassells

Question:

44. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health his plans in place to enable Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, to carry out more scheduled treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12096/17]

Shane Cassells

Question:

49. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health the status of plans for a regional hospital in Navan. [12097/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 49 together.

There are currently no plans to construct a regional hospital for the north east in Navan. The proposal that a regional hospital be developed in Navan originated in a report prepared for the HSE in 2008. This proposal was superseded by the Government's decision, in 2013, to re-organise acute hospitals into Hospital Groups.

Our Lady’s Hospital Navan is part of the Ireland East Hospital Group. Every hospital in that Group, large and small, has a vital role to play within the Group, with smaller hospitals managing routine, urgent or planned care locally and more complex care managed in the larger hospitals.

Currently, the Hospital Group is engaged in a programme of re-design work to further integrate and enhance the role of Navan hospital within the Group and to ensure that it will provide more services safely and appropriately. A key development has been efforts to promote better integration between the Mater and Navan hospitals, in relation to day surgical activity in Navan, with surgeons from the Mater carrying out surgery in Navan. Recent capital investments include upgrade of general theatres and the Sterile Services Unit and refurbishment of the Emergency Department.

The Hospital Redesign Working Group includes representation from local GPs, the National Ambulance Service, the Mater and Navan Hospitals and from the Ireland East Hospital Group. It is intended that the Hospital Group will continue to engage closely with all interested parties to ensure that the needs of patients, staff, the local and wider community are addressed.