The Report of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing, the Hanly Report, deals with the reorganisation of acute hospital services in two regions, the East Coast Area Health Board and the Mid-Western Health Board and sets out a series of principles regarding the development of acute hospital services nationally.
I recently announced the composition of a group to prepare a national plan for acute hospital services. The group, to be chaired by Mr. David Hanly, will prepare a plan for the Interim Health Services Executive for the reorganisation of acute hospital services, taking account of the recommendations of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing including spatial, demographic and geographic factors. I anticipate that the future role of Naas Hospital will be examined in this context.