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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 2

Written Answers. - Kidney Dialysis Equipment.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

285 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health if it is proposed to equip the specially designed kidney dialysis section at the General Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo, with kidney dialysis equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Kidney dialysis services for the Western Health Board area are provided at a special unit in Merlin Park Regional Hospital in Galway. Some time ago, my Department was informed that the Mayo Kidney Dialysis Trust, through voluntary fundraising efforts, had raised approximately £150,000 with which it proposed to help the Western Health Board set up a satellite dialysis unit at Castlebar General Hospital to facilitate patients from County Mayo.

There are at present 12 patients from County Mayo attending at Merlin Park for dialysis treatment twice or three times a week. I do not have details of the journies of individual patients but I appreciate that the distances involved can be significant in some cases.

The Western Health Board is the body with responsibility for the delivery of health services in the region and the board has informed my Department that it would require an additional £245,000 per annum to staff and run such a unit.

My Department has many applications before it for additional revenue funding to support proposals for desirable service developments throughout the country such as the Castlebar dialysis unit. While no specific funds have been provided in the 1993 Estimates in respect of the provision of dialysis services at Castlebar General Hospital, my Department will be discussing this matter with the Western Health Board in the context of the Board's 1993 service plans.

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