Vol. 550 No. 2
367 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of consultant respiratory physicians working in the Southern Health Board area; his views on the need to appoint further consultants; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8302/02]
The provision of services, including the appointment of consultant staff, is a matter for the Southern Health Board in the first instance. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the board to reply directly to the Deputy in the matter raised.
My Department has received a request for financial clearance for the appointment of two consultant respiratory physicians for the Cork area. One request is from the Mercy Hospital and the second is from the Southern Health Board. Both applications will have to be considered by the Southern Health Board and the two Cork voluntary hospitals in the context of the development of the existing respiratory service for the region. The board will also need to consider the priority of these posts in the context of other competing demands on available resources particularly in the light of the revised funding arrangements for the Cork voluntary hospitals which commenced in 2002.
