Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

On behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, I wish to respond to the Deputy's concerns regarding dialysis services at Cavan General Hospital. The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Responsibility for the provision of dialysis services at Cavan General Hospital rests with the executive.

My Department has been advised by the Health Service Executive, north-eastern area, that the current position on the dialysis unit at Cavan General Hospital is as follows. A locum consultant has been in place at the unit since July 2002. The executive has further advised me that a consultant physician with a special interest in nephrology will take up duty at the unit in early March 2005. It is anticipated that this development will provide an opportunity for the executive, in conjunction with the new consultant, to review all aspects of the service being provided, including the number of patients being treated.

My Department is advised that the current complement of the unit is 47 patients. It is the intention of the executive to examine the following issues relating to the dialysis unit upon the arrival of the new consultant: the feasibility of providing haemodialysis services to an increased number of patients; the provision of an enhanced service on an outpatient basis; and consideration of making available continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis to patients in the north-eastern area. All the above would require additional clinical input in the areas of dietetics, psychological services and counselling, and social work supports to patients and families.

The executive further advises that it liaises very closely with renal units in the Dublin hospitals to minimise inconvenience as much as possible for patients who have to travel for treatment from the north-eastern region. Renal services have been identified by my Department as one of the main acute hospital priorities for development.

The requirement for renal dialysis services is growing at a high rate. The net increase in new dialysis patients is between 10% and 15% per annum, and it is likely to continue increasing at that rate for the foreseeable future. The number of patients on dialysis increased from 641 to 1,106 between 1998 and June 2004, an increase of 72.5% in six years. There are many reasons for that large increase, including greater levels of obesity, a greater number of diabetics, especially where diagnosed at a late stage, and increased longevity in the population.

My Department has provided additional revenue funding of over €28 million since 2000 to develop renal services in Ireland. An additional €8 million was provided in the 2005 Estimates. Total additional funding of €2 million has been provided for the development of renal services in the north-eastern area since 2000, of which €475,000 was allocated for the current year. That significant investment has supported the development of renal services on a regional basis, with the approval of seven additional consultant posts specialising in nephrology, including the new post at Cavan General Hospital.

I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support the provision of dialysis services in a way that takes account of the needs and preferences of patients, and of the communities in which they live. The configuration of those services is a very important aspect of the role of the new Health Service Executive.

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