Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Health Board Services.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

370 Ms M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health and Children his assessment of the recent announcement by the Eastern Regional Health Authority that consideration is being given to confining services to within the boundary of the authority in certain circumstances; if he can assure the residents of south County Meath who have traditionally and consistently attended the local general hospital in the Dublin area in that such hospitals as James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown and Beaumont Hospital will be closer to residents of the Ashbourne and Dunboyne areas of south County Meath than any other hospital in the North-Eastern Health Board area; if one particular health board can victimise local patients such as these on the basis that they live on the County Meath side of the border as distinct from on the County Dublin side of the border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18276/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I presume the Deputy is referring to the Eastern Regional Health Authority's recent decision to prepare protocols in relation to the referral of patients from other health board areas for elective services in hospitals in the eastern region. Successive Governments have pursued a policy of regional self-sufficiency regarding the provision of hospital services to ensure that patients are in a better position to access services locally. The benefits of this policy are evident through a series of major infrastructural developments in hospitals around the country, which has resulted in the availability of more services and new specialties on a regional basis. A number of specialised services are concentrated in the eastern region, however, for reasons of complexity. The ERHA has acknowledged that the referral of patients from outside the region to avail of tertiary and super-regional services in the eastern region remains appropriate given the range and specialised nature of the services provided. The Deputy may wish to note that the ERHA intends to have discussions with the health boards and the acute providers in the region in relation to the development of referral protocols. Having regard to the potential service and budgetary implications of any change in traditional referral patterns, my Department has recently requested the ERHA to advise it of these consultations and to inform it before any revised protocols are implemented.