Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 Nov 1997

Vol. 483 No. 2

Ceisteanna — Questions. Priority Questions. - Well Woman Centres.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

3 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Well Woman Centre has been unable to recruit a doctor to work in its new centre in Athlone, County Westmeath, opened in joint partnership with the Midland Health Board in April 1996; his views on the fact that the difficulties experienced have resulted from the behaviour of other doctors in the area, and that doctors are fearful if they work in the Well Woman Centre that they will be unable to get any other work within the Midland Health Board area; whether his attention has further been drawn to the fact that consultants in Portiuncula Hospital, County Galway, have been told that if they take referrals from the Well Woman Centre, general practitioners will not refer private patients to them; his views on the fact that as a consequence of this it has been announced that the new centre is to close; if he will intervene and resolve this difficulty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19944/97]

Mr. Cowen

The Deputy will be aware that under section 8 of the Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Act, 1992, the provision of family planning services is, in the first instance, the statutory responsibility of the health board.

In relation to the Athlone centre, I understand it was not until September 1997 that the Well Woman Centre made the Midland Health Board aware it was having serious problems recruiting doctors.

Earlier this year the Well Woman Centre was in touch with my Department regarding difficulties in relation to referrals from the centre to Portiuncula Hospital. My Department advised the centre at that time to contact the chief executive officer of the Midland Health Board to discuss the problem and possible solutions. The hospital authorities have indicated to my Department that their consultants have not been approached along the lines suggested by the Deputy.

So far, the Midland Health Board has paid £30,000 set up costs to the Well Woman Centre in Athlone, £40,000 in revenue for 1996 and £30,000 to date in revenue this year. The Well Woman Centre provides an alternative for women in the region and I share the health board's view that it would be a matter of regret if the service should cease. I am aware that informal discussions have taken place between the health board and the general practitioners' representative organisation. I have asked the Midland Health Board to continue its efforts to find a solution to the Well Woman Centre's current difficulties in Athlone.

Mr. Shatter

I agree with the Minister it is desirable this centre should be allowed to continue the work it has been doing for the short time it has been there. Will he assure the House that the difficulties the Well Woman Centre has experienced will be resolved within a relatively short period? Will he indicate whether he accepts there has been opposition from local general practitioners to the Well Woman Centre providing the service in Athlone? Is he aware of the reasons for this opposition?

Mr. Cowen

On the specific complaint about consultants being told there would be a problem if they were to take patients from the Well Woman Centre, as a result of inquiries made by the Department the consultants say that is not the case. We have to take the consultants' word for that. While Athlone is reasonably near to me, I am not aware of any local GP problem either, although I am aware from public comment that there seems to be some dispute regarding that.

Informal discussions are taking place. The possibility of the Well Woman Centre redeploying some of its people in Dublin to continue the service in Athlone is an option available to that organisation. In the meantime, informal discussions will continue. I cannot guarantee the outcome but the Deputy can accept the bona fides of the Midland Health Board, as expressed by the chief executive officer.

Mr. Shatter

Does the Minister agree that in addition to providing the necessary medical services, the Well Woman Centre in Athlone exercises an important educational function in the context of dealing with women's issues and family planning? Will he acknowledge that in its brief lifespan it has had more than 1,000 patients, which confirms the need for such a centre? Based on information available to him, is it the Minister's view that the main objection, as voiced by the representative of the IMO in that area, appears to be that there is resentment among some members of the medical profession that the health board has partly funded the provision of this centre? Does the Minister agree the Well Woman Centre is providing additional services over and above those normally provided by busy general practitioners?

Mr. Cowen

Yes. The Well Woman Centre provides educational and counselling services. It is an alternative to existing family planning services which the health board has supported and would be prepared to continue to support if it were possible to resolve some of the issues there at the moment. It has not just provided services for Westmeath — people from adjoining counties also have availed of the services available in the Well Woman Centre in Athlone. I hope the informal discussions going on at present might resolve the situation.

Mr. Shatter

Does the Minister accept it is desirable that the centre remain open?

Mr. Cowen

Yes. That is what the health board wants. It has a statutory responsibility to provide family planning services and I will be guided by it.