Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
145. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the budget allocated to Letterkenny University Hospital, the 13th highest in the State, does not reflect on the fact that the hospital is the sixth largest in the State based on inpatient numbers; and the action he plans to take to address this imbalance. [50617/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraLetterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is a Model 3 Hospital, operating as part of the Saolta University Health Care Group. The budget allocation for LUH in 2021 is €156m, a 7% increase from the €145.9m provided in 2020. The HSE advises that, as of August 2021, 2,208 people were employed in LUH, an increase from 2,000 employees in 2020.
There has been significant investment in services in LUH in recent years . This includes the completion of the Radiology rebuild (including a second CT & Interventional Radiology Suite), a 20 bed short stay ward, construction of two new wards (Medical 6 & Medical 7), a new mammography machine commissioned in the Symptomatic Breast Disease Unit, and the appointment of Consultants in Paediatrics, Gastroenterology and Urology, as well as the appointment of Advanced Nurse Practitioners.
The Acute Stroke Unit opened in April this year as part of the a national programme. Other planned works include an orthopaedic refurbishment project due to commence in Q4 2021, the expansion of the renal dialysis unit and the expansion of the haematology/oncology day unit. Recruitment is also ongoing to address existing vacancies and to facilitate the commissioning of a further 23 in-patient beds as part of the Covid-19 emergency admission measures. A replacement modular endoscopy unit will be commissioned on a phased basis in the coming months.
Patients in the region can also access radiotherapy and emergency cardiac treatment in Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Derry.
