Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

We are seeking to organise hospital services based on the need for patient safety. Procedures will continue to take place in a particular environment where it is safe for them to do so. Where it is unsafe for them to continue, there must be change. I have pointed on many occasions recently to the example of breast surgery. In 2003, the last year for which we have figures, of the 1,800 breast surgeries that were carried out, 39 of the consultants involved performed fewer than five such surgeries per year. We know from international evidence that this is a highly dangerous scenario in that outcome survival rates are poor when such a low volume of surgeries is carried out. It is not a safe environment in which to operate. That happens in other surgical areas as well and not only in surgery. We cannot allow that situation to continue. I have said on many occasions that we cannot downgrade patient safety. We must be able to give assurance to a woman in Donegal, as much as to one in Dublin, that she will have access to the same standard of care.

In regard to the region about which the Deputy spoke, the idea is to ensure Mallow, Bantry, Cork and Tralee work closely together as a team providing an acute hospital service for the region, bearing in mind that we must also take on board patient convenience issues because of the long distances involved.

I have a very high regard for Mallow hospital because it came number one in the first hygiene survey and number two in the second one. It is a hospital I hope to visit shortly because what they do there is very impressive. The Deputy need not worry about Mallow hospital.

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