Vol. 554 No. 5
993 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals there are to increase cross-Border co-operation in the provision of health services, particularly in view of the review of services in the North and the proposed developments under the national development plan at hospitals in the North Eastern Health Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15845/02]
The North/South Regional Hospital Services Group, NSRHSG, was established on foot of the Good Friday Agreement. The group has identified two broad areas of co-operation: local cross-Border collaboration, covering hospitals in the Border areas, and wider co-operation on a regional and supra-regional basis, covering specialist services which are or could only be viable where delivered on an all-island basis.
The work of the group is being informed by, inter alia, the acute hospitals review group report on acute health services in Northern Ireland. While this group was primarily tasked with the remit of examining and making recommendations on the profile of acute health services in Northern Ireland, it also outlines the potential for increased co-operation both at local and all-island level.
The NSRHSG includes in its membership a senior representative of the North Eastern Health Board. Any proposals emerging from the work of the NSRHSG, and which are designed to further advance co-operation between the North Eastern Health Board and Northern Ireland in the provision of hospital services, will fall to be considered by the food safety and health sector of the North South Ministerial Council.
