Vol. 487 No. 4
151 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will approve funding for additional facilities and staff for cardiac treatment at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4362/98]
As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced an initiative on cardiovascular health and cardiac services. Included in this initiative is a provision for additional paediatric cardiac surgery capacity to be developed at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, in association with the national cardiac unit at the Mater Hospital. Up to 100 additional procedures for children will be provided. This additional capacity will mean an increase of 40 per cent in this area. The estimated revenue cost of this development is £2 million.
The hospital authorities at Crumlin have welcomed this initiative and have stated that they will continue to work with the Department of Health to design and implement the details of the proposed package for paediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery.
A project team, consisting of officials from my Department and representatives of the hospital, recently completed its brief to develop a plan for the provision of additional theatres at the hospital. This brief is now being examined by my Department's technical officers and it is my intention that the planning and construction process should be completed without delay.
Already this year officials from my Department have met Crumlin Hospital representatives to discuss the cardiac services development plan. The hospital's management has been asked to prepare a detailed overall service plan for 1998. Once this plan has been received by my Department, various matters including the cardiac cardiothoracic service will be discussed in detail with the hospital representatives, in order to ensure that the development of services will proceed as quickly as possible.
I am confident that all of these initiatives will have a positive impact on the service levels of this speciality in the near future.
