Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
288. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health his plans to downgrade the accident and emergency services at Portiuncula hospital, Ballinasloe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33204/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am not aware of any plans to downgrade any Emergency Department facilities in Portiuncula University Hospital (PUH).
With regard to services at PUH, consultants in General Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Respiratory, Cardiology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Radiology and Paediatrics have been successfully recruited since the beginning of 2016. A Consultant Geriatrician position will be advertised later in 2017. Whole time equivalent staff (WTE) numbered 704 in March, 2017.
The Portiuncula ED has been performing well this year. Patient experience times for PUH are significantly better than the national average; 71.3% of patients have been admitted or discharged within 6 hours, 90.1% within 9 hours, and 99.9% within 24 hours this year to date, whereas the national averages for the same time period have been 66%, 80.7% and 96.5% respectively.
Plans for the expansion of other facilities at PUH are on-going; it is proposed to provide a 50 bed ward block to replace existing ward accommodation at PUH, by providing upgrades to ward accomodation, including additional isolation rooms. Funding was made available in the current HSE Capital Plan to bring the project to the design and planning stage. The HSE has advised that planning permission has been awarded and the design stage is now complete.
