Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
38. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the measures he is proposing to address the lack of adequate resourcing of University Hospital Kerry within the South/Southwest hospital group; if his officials will examine the reason the hospital is resourced poorly relative to similar grade hospitals elsewhere in Ireland; if he will address the imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23669/20]
View answerFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the work done by Deputy Griffin in advocating for the people of Kerry. University Hospital Kerry is an integral part of the South/South West Hospital Group and provides comprehensive medical and surgical services not only in Co. Kerry but also in West Limerick and North Cork.
The HSE has advised that the Group has been working closely with UHK management and staff to enhance staffing, services and facilities, particularly over the last two years. The UHK budget has increased by 32% to €98m since 2015, while staff numbers have risen by 38% during the same period.
Additional resources have been provided to support maternity services, additional Emergency Department nursing posts, and the opening of a new 4-Bedded Acute Stroke Unit to manage approximately 200 strokes per year. The refurbishment of the intensive care unit has facilitated greater efficiency within the hospital’s critical care service and has enhanced compliance with infection control standards. Since the outbreak of COVID- 19 the hospital has received funding to construct COVID pathways in the Emergency Department and 15 additional surge beds have been opened in the last 2 weeks.
Deputy Griffin has also demonstrated his commitment in this House to ensuring that the communities in Kerry are provided with the best primary care services possible be that in terms of seeking improvement to physical infrastructure or additional staffing. I look forward to working with him to address his concerns and would hope, for example, that Kerry may benefit from some of the €10 million in funding that I have recently approved for enhanced community services.
These developments outline the commitment to achieve equity across the South/South West Hospital Group and to ensure that UHK can meet the needs of the community it serves. Our health services are facing unprecedented challenges in the months ahead. However, these developments will help to ensure that the necessary resources are in place to deliver safe patient care in University Hospital Kerry.
