Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
290. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health his plans to downgrade the accident and emergency services at University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33206/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no plans to downgrade the Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway (UHG). To the contrary, plans for a new and significantly expanded ED at UHG are at design phase.
Given recognised capacity challenges with regard to the existing ED at University Hospital Galway, the Programme for a Partnership Government provides as follows: “A new ED for UHG is currently being designed with a view to funding for construction being provided as part of the 2017 Capital Plan Review ”.
Significant progress has been made in terms of planning for the new ED. Funding had been indented in the 2017 Capital Plan to progress to the design phase of the development of a new ED for UHG.
The HSE advises that the Contract Notice for the first stage design team procurement for the UHG ED project was submitted to the eTenders website for publishing on 2nd May, 2017. It is expected that tender documents will be completed and issued by the end of July, 2017.
The Saolta Group has committed to working to expedite this project as effectively as possible, as a new ED will provide valuable opportunities to significantly improve safety, dignity and privacy for patients attending UHG Emergency Department. In the intervening period, prior to completion of the new ED, significant effort is being dedicated to initiatives to improve patient flow in at Galway University Hospital in order to effectively manage the provision of emergency care on a 24/7 basis.
UHG is a pilot site for the National GE Finnamore Patient Flow project. This project is underway on site and encompasses both unscheduled care and scheduled care patient flow. Under this initiative, the Hospital is progressing a number of key process improvement initiatives, which include optimising ED escalation procedures, patient flow processes and bi-directional flow to/from other Saolta Hospitals as well as capacity modelling for inpatients and outpatients. The Saolta Group advises that participation in this project has resulted in significant improvements.
