Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the opportunity to respond to Deputy Crawford on this matter and to outline to the House the position with regard to the provision of surgical services across the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service 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 services at Monaghan General Hospital rests with the Health Service Executive.

My Department is advised by the Health Service Executive north eastern area that the position in regard to the reconfiguration of surgical services is as follows. In April 2004 the chief executive officer of the former North Eastern Health Board issued a directive to establish a steering group for the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group, to determine the level of service to be provided at each site. The steering group reported in October 2004.

My Department is advised by the Health Service Executive, north eastern area, that the position in regard to the reconfiguration of surgical services is as follows. The steering group, following consultation with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, has recommended that major emergency and elective surgery be carried out at Cavan General Hospital and that selective elective surgery be performed at Monaghan General Hospital.

In accordance with the recommendations of the steering group, a full surgical team, based in Cavan, will provide services at Monaghan General Hospital, Monday to Friday. There will be a consultant surgeon present at the Monaghan site on each of these days. This joint department of surgery team will provide selective elective surgery, endoscopy and outpatient services and consultation on inpatients as required.

In accordance with the steering group's recommendations, the hospital returned to 24-hour seven day medical cover in January 2005. A third consultant physician has been in post since November 2004 and five new anaesthetic non-consultant hospital doctors have been recruited to facilitate the return of the hospital to medical on-call. Their role is being developed as part of a joint department of anaesthesia and will include ensuring the safe transfer of patients when required and to assist the consultant anaesthetist in theatre during surgery.

Consistent with the recommendations of the steering group, ten additional day beds are to be commissioned at Monaghan General Hospital to facilitate the development of surgical services across the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group. The executive has advised that gynaecological and obstetric services, including outpatients, ante-natal services and day gynaecological services including colcoscopy, are now provided at Monaghan General Hospital.

Interviews are being held this month for three permanent replacement consultant surgical posts for the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group. It is envisaged by the Health Service Executive that the appointment of these three consultants will see an enhancement of surgical services provided at Monaghan General Hospital and the early implementation of the steering group's recommendations in regard to surgery across the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group.

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