Hospital Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2010

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Ceisteanna (34, 35)

Pat Breen

Ceist:

65 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the future role and development of Ennis General Hospital, County Clare; if same will continue as an acute hospital; if she will report on the progress on commitments given to the hospital prior to reconfiguration, namely, the development and timeframe for delivery of key infrastructure and provision of endoscopy, day surgery and geriatric services at the hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20221/10]

Pat Breen

Ceist:

95 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health and Children her views 12 months following the reconfiguration of services in the mid-west region; if she is satisfied that adequate resources have been put in place to support this reconfiguration; if she has any further plans for the development of the ambulance service in County Clare, particularly if she supports the concept of having a trained paramedic on-site at each ambulance station on a 24/7 basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20222/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 95 together.

The HSE has made significant progress on reconfiguring acute hospital and related services in the Mid West region informed by the Teamwork/Horwath Report and the Health Information and Quality Authority Report on Ennis, which was published in April 2009. These Reports highlighted the need for changes to be made in the organisation and provision of acute hospital services across the Mid West region as they found services there to be too fragmented, to carry increased risks for patients and staff and to be unsustainable in their present form.

The reconfiguration of services in the Mid-West Region has involved the cessation of 24-hour Accident and Emergency services at Ennis and Nenagh and the transfer of all planned and emergency in-patient surgery from the two hospitals to Limerick Regional Hospital. Ambulance and Paramedic services in Clare and Tipperary have been enhanced. Ennis and Nenagh hospitals now provide an urgent care/minor injuries service for 12 hours a day as part of a regional Accident and Emergency structure. These hospitals also now undertake an expanded range of day case surgery and diagnostic work.

The HSE's draft capital plan is currently under consideration and details of capital projects will be made available when the plan has been approved.