Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

——rehabilitation and non-acute services, packages of primarily community-based care and additional long-stay services.

It is not possible until the current detailed planning phase is complete to be definitive as to what aspects of north-east transformation can be implemented during this year and what can be achieved in 2009. In its draft capital plan, the HSE proposes to spend approximately €100 million additional capital funding up to 2013 in the north east to progress the transformation programme. The HSE intends to make a capital allocation available in respect of each of the five hospitals in the region to meet the cost of interim infrastructural works necessary in each facility.

The HSE envisages that the role of Monaghan General Hospital in the future will be to provide a range of diagnostic, outpatient, day cases and some in-patient treatment services within clinical networks. Significant developments have also taken place with regard to the provision of surgical services across the Cavan and Monaghan hospital interface. Emergency surgical services on a 24-hour, seven day basis are provided on the Cavan site while significant elements of diagnostic, outpatient and day case services are provided on the Monaghan Hospital site. This has resulted in lower waiting times for out-patient appointments and in-patient elective services. Since the reconfiguration of Cavan and Monaghan surgical services, patients can be seen by the visiting consultant surgeon on the day of referral by the GP.

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