Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
50. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the details of future plans within the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group, in particular St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, and St. Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, County Dublin. [23660/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSt Vincent’s Healthcare Group, comprising St Vincent’s University Hospital, St Michael’s Hospital and St Columcille’s Hospital, is part of the Ireland East Hospital Group.
Each hospital in the Group has a vital role to play, with smaller hospitals such as St Michael’s Hospital and St Columcille’s Hospital managing routine, urgent or planned care locally, and more complex care managed in the larger hospitals.
There has been a number of new developments at these hospitals recently; at St Columcille’s, funding has been received for the building of a purpose-built weight management centre, which is now at the design stage and last week, funding was approved for the National Gender Service at the hospital.
A Heart Failure Virtual Consultation Service for the benefit of patients of St Vincent’s and St Michael’s has been established, as well as an End to End Respiratory Model which will provide co-ordinated services for patients in the community, reducing demand on hospital services.
As part of the implementation of Sláintecare, there is a strong focus at national and Hospital Group level, working with CHOs, on the redesign of health services to promote greater integration, including the establishment of regional health areas. Plans for the hospitals will be taken forward in this context.
