Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023
116. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of HSE elective hospitals as per the recommendations of Sláintecare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7767/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra151. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that his Department and the HSE have now appointed a team to design the new elective hospital in Cork; if he will confirm when the plans will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7708/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 151 together.
On 7 December 2022, the Government approved the next stage of the Enhanced Provision of Elective Care Programme and progression of the development of new Elective Hospitals in Cork and Galway (with Dublin to follow in due course). The new Elective Hospitals will provide significant additional capacity, enabling the separation of scheduled and unscheduled care. This will change the way in which day cases, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services can be better arranged across the country, ensuring greater capacity in the future and helping to address waiting times.The next phase of the Programme requires the preparation of site-specific project briefs, a procurement strategy, and detailed pre-tender business cases to progress to ‘Pre-tender Approval’ at Decision Gate 2 of the Public Spending Code for Cork and Galway. Key tasks for developing these documents have been established and include consideration of governance arrangements for national and local elements of the Elective Hospitals Programme. Once finalised by the HSE, the governance arrangements will reflect the need for national consistency in clinical, operational and building design along with Hospital Groups’ involvement to ensure local ownership of delivery.Design teams for the new Elective Hospitals will be appointed following completion of the design of clinical and operational models. Once appointed, the Design teams will work to key design principles. The HSE is currently considering approaches to design and construction which might reduce the time required for this and other infrastructure work. This approach includes standardised design optimised (digital twin) for the manufacturing of repeatable units, off-site manufacturing at scale, final assembly, and commissioning on site.The Preliminary Business Case for Dublin is currently being finalised. Following the required internal and external assurance processes it will be submitted for Government approval in due course.
