Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Hospital Services.

Mr. Ring

I too congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his appointment. I also congratulate Deputy Martin on his reappointment as Minister for Health and I wish him well.

The Mayo branch of the Arthritis Foundation of Ireland has been campaigning for the last eight years on this issue. I congratulate Mary Healy, Helen McGrath, Rachel Tolan and the hardworking committee for campaigning for the last eight years for a rheumatology service for Mayo. There is one rheumatologist in the Western Health Board area and he also covers Clare. It is outrageous that one person is expected to cover that area, given that thousands of people are waiting to be assessed and there are 14,500 people with arthritis in Mayo alone. Does the Minister think it is fair that people from Achill in north Mayo must travel to Galway – a 200 mile round trip – to see a man who is overworked and overloaded? He cannot deal with all the patients because he cannot cover Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and parts of Clare. I have contacted the health board and the Minister about this, but the health board tells me it is awaiting funding and approval from the Department. The consultant himself is overworked and patients are coming to see me about this.

The Minister should think about people with arthritis. They have pains in their arms and legs and their families are left to look after them. We should put ourselves in that position, although it is fine for us because we can afford VHI and get instant service. These people are depending on the health services and they are waiting in pain. Their families come to me and ask what I, the Government and the health board are doing about this. It is wrong that 14,500 people in Mayo alone must depend on one individual; that is impossible for any person. I compliment the consultant, as he is under stress. He has contacted the committee and said he is looking for further appointments. I seek a rheumatologist for Mayo General Hospital to deal with the Mayo problem. I realise the Western Health Board is in crisis because the chief executive had a recent meeting with the health board where it was pointed out that it is four months over budget. I am sure the Minister and his Department are putting tremendous pressure on the health board to bring its budget into line. If it does so, this matter will not be a priority with the health board.

I call on the Minister, the Department and the Western Health Board to immediately appoint for the Western Health Board region three rheumatologists, one of whom should be for Mayo General Hospital alone. We do not want to share that person. Given that there are 14,500 people in Mayo suffering from arthritis there is a need for such an appointment.

Recently I attended a public meeting at which outrage was expressed. One horror story followed another about people waiting for appointments and waiting three or four hours to be seen by a consultant. Those people may get only five minutes with a consultant because that person is under pressure given the number of people he has to see in one day. I ask the Minister to resolve this problem once and for all. It can be resolved. What we seek is a commitment from the Minister and the Department of Health and Children to provide funding. We seek a commitment from the Western Health Board to make these appointments immediately with the permission of the Minister.

The committee which has worked hard over the years is frustrated and upset. At the public meeting I saw the people who are affected. Yet they are out there fighting to get the necessary service for everybody else in rural areas. Why can some of these services not be brought to rural areas? Why should our people always have to go to the cities? Why not make this a specialty in Mayo General Hospital rather than ask 100 people to travel from Belmullet or Aghleam to Galway, which is 120 miles away, or 240 miles round trip. Those people travel home in the evening with pain in their hands and arms without having got the service they needed from the consultant who is overworked. It is not possible for one human being to look after Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and parts of Clare, given that there are 14,500 people affected by arthritis in County Mayo alone.

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I avail of this opportunity to wish you all the best in your position as Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I thank Deputy Ring for raising this matter on the adjournment. As the Deputy is aware, the provision of health services at Mayo General Hospital is the statutory responsibility in the first instance of the Western Health Board. The board has informed me that there is one consultant rheumatologist at present in the Western Health Board based at Merlin Park Regional Hospital and services for patients from the Mayo area are provided by this consultant.

I understand from the Western Health Board that the provision of a consultant rheumatologist at Mayo General Hospital is being considered in the context of the development of the orthopaedic services in Mayo. The board is preparing a strategic plan for the development of rheumatology services. This strategic plan is at a a very advanced stage and will be placed before the Western Health Board for consideration and adoption within the next two to three months. The further development of rheumatology services in the Western Health Board region will be considered in the context of additional funding available for acute hospital service developments in 2003 and the associated competing priorities.

In recent years there has been a significant investment in the development of Mayo General Hospital, both in developing its infrastructure and in the provision of additional services. There are now 800 staff working at the hospital and its annual expenditure is approximately €50 million. Phase II of the hospital's development was completed recently and includes: a new accident and emergency department, a medical assessment unit, a geriatric assessment unit, an obstetric and delivery suite, CT scanning facilities, a new helicopter landing facility, an improved mortuary and post-mortem room, a new information technology system, and a new administration and medical records department. Overall the phase II development of the hospital cost $48 million. Before phase II started there were 240 in-patient beds at the hospital. The total in-patient beds is now 317, including the 12 additional beds I funded under the bed capacity initiative which I understand opened earlier this year. This represents an increase of over 30% in bed capacity.

Specific funding of $2.9 million has been provided this year to allow for the opening of the new orthopaedic beds at the hospital. This new 33 bed orthopaedic unit will be a particularly valuable addition to the hospital and will be of great benefit to the people of County Mayo. The development of orthopaedic services in Mayo is an important addition to the Western Health Board's regional orthopaedic service.

An Agreed Programme for Government provides for significant new developments in acute hospital services. I am fully committed to implementing such improvements in services over the coming years.