Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I will take this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Department of Health and Children has been in touch with the HSE and has been advised that three hospital bed usage review groups have been established in the HSE north-east, one in the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group, one in the Louth hospital group and one in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. I am advised that the purpose of these groups is to review, on an ongoing basis, bed usage in each hospital and to alleviate overcrowding where possible by the introduction of any initiative deemed appropriate; to develop and implement effective admission, transfer and discharge policies and procedures; to work in partnership to manage bed usage in each hospital or hospital group in a more effective manner; and to liaise with primary community continuing care colleagues regarding arrangements for clinically discharged patients. The membership of these groups includes nursing, medical and administrative representation.

In addition, an inter-hospital bed usage group has also been established to address bed usage issues in the north east and how they impact on the throughput of patients throughout the region, and to manage hospital bed usage more effectively. The membership of this group includes hospital management, directors of nursing and hospital consultants.

With particular regard to day surgery, the HSE has advised the Department that the establishment of a joint department of surgery in the Louth hospital group and the establishment of a single department of surgery in the Cavan-Monaghan hospital group has resulted in a more effective throughput of patients receiving surgery, with a result that waiting times for day procedures and surgical out-patient appointments have dropped considerably.

Following the recent publication of a review of acute hospital services in the former North Eastern Health Board area, the HSE is to establish a north east steering group to quickly address the issues that require immediate attention and at the same time develop a longer-term strategy to deliver a world class health service during the next ten years. The group will have representation from key stakeholders such as clinicians and primary care providers. There will also be widespread public engagement on the issues highlighted in the report.

The report concluded that the present system, where five local hospitals deliver acute care to relatively small populations, is exposing patients to increased risks, is not serving the community well and is not sustainable. The consultants believe there is an unprecedented opportunity over the next ten years to develop a very high quality responsive emergency and planned care service, in line with international standards, by developing local services within existing hospitals and other local centres supported by a new regional hospital.

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