Billy Kelleher
Question:146. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year running costs of opening all medical assessment units on a seven-day basis. [29350/17]
View answerThursday, 22 June 2017
Questions (146)
Written answers
Medical Assessment Units (MAUs), Minor Injuries Clinics and similar units provide valuable services to local communities and alleviate the pressures on EDs. MAUs facilitate the immediate medical assessment, diagnosis and treatment of medical patients who suffer from a wide range of medical conditions who present to, or from within, a hospital requiring urgent or emergency care.
The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the contribution of MAUs, Urgent Care Clinics and Minor Injury Clinics, and commits to a review of such clinics, acknowledging that some of these facilities have limited hours of operation.
The Department is committed to undertaking the Review, as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, with a view to extending their hours of opening and weekend opening. In considering the opening hours of MAUs, the Review will have particular regard to the distance from the nearest ED and existing workloads. Work on this Review is progressing in 2017.