Vol. 406 No. 3
14 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the discussions he or officials of his Department have had regarding the serious problems in the national neurosurgery service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
84 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Health whether he or officials from his Department have had discussions with the board of Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, regarding cases shortly to be heard before the Medical Council; whether he or his officials will be attending the hearings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
100 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Health the action he proposes to take to deal with the continuing lack of consultants in the national paediatric neurosurgery unit in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 84 and 100 together.
The decision to locate all neurosurgical services in Dublin at Beaumont Hospital was taken on the advice of Comhairle na nOspidéal who comprehensively reviewed these services recently. Their report followed the widest possible consultations. I therefore considered that the most effective and efficient way in which to establish a centre of excellence was to accept the comhairle's report and Beaumont Hospital was informed of my decision on 28 September 1990.
Officials of my Department have of course been in touch with the hospital on a regular basis regarding the provision of neurosurgical services.
Beaumont Hospital is proceeding to fill the complement of six consultant neurosurgeon posts as recommened by Comhairle na nOspidéal. One consultant neurosurgeon has already transferred from St. Vincent's Hospital and Beaumont Hospital has recently advertised two consultant neurosurgeon posts — one to replace a post formerly located at St. Vincent's Hospital and the other to fill the vacant post with a special interest in paediatric neurosurgery at Beaumont Hospital.
With regard to complaints referred by the Board of Beaumont Hospital to the Medical Council, these matters have been referred directly to the Medical Council by Beaumont Hospital Board, and my Department have not contacted the Medical Council on the matter. As the Medical Council are the statutory regulatory authority for the medical profession, I consider that it would be inappropriate for me to interfere in any way with the execution of the council's statutory responsibilities.
May I ask the Minister two brief supplementaries? Would he not agree that it is highly unsatisfactory that the cases which have been referred to the Medical Council have been left hanging around for well over 12 months and that this must prove damaging for the national neurosurgical unit? Further would he not accept that there is a major gap in the area of paediatric neurosurgery which must be addressed urgently and the way to do this in the short term is to take advantage of the private care which is available?
Naturally, nobody likes to see cases going before the Medical Council but, as I have pointed out, the Medical Council are the statutory body who deal with complaints in an appropriate manner. We do not interfere with that statutory function. As I pointed out in reply to the question on paediatric neurosurgery, the neurosurgeons at Beaumont Hospital performed paediatric neurosurgery until 1986 and assured me that they were competent to continue to do so. As I said, we advertised again on 24 February for another neurosurgeon with a specific interest in paediatrics.
Would the Minister not agree—
A very brief question.
——that the continuing dispute about medical practice in the hospital calls into question the Minister's assurances to the House that we have a satisfactory service? Why has he let it drag on for so long before making an attempt to resolve the issue?
As I have pointed out to the Deputy, this is a matter for the Beaumont Hospital board and the Medical Council. I see Deputy Bruton's colleague, Deputy Cosgrave, who is a member of the Beaumont Hospital Board sitting behind him and I am sure he will bear me out when I say that they are providing an excellent service in Beaumont Hospital.
