Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

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

There are currently approximately 1,100 people living with cystic fibrosis in Ireland. Approximately 45% of these people are adults and 55% are children. The Minister has identified the development of cystic fibrosis services as a policy priority in recent years. In 2006 and 2007, additional revenue funding of €6.78 million was provided to the Health Service Executive to develop cystic services. Part of this funding has facilitated the appointment of 44 staff to date to deal directly with cystic fibrosis in a number of hospitals nationally, including Cork University Hospital. In addition, the necessary funding has been made available to facilitate the recruitment of a further 37 staff nationally. The other hospitals which have benefited from this funding include five in Dublin — St. Vincent's, Crumlin, Tallaght, Beaumont and Temple Street — together with Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

Cork University Hospital currently provides both adult and paediatric cystic fibrosis services. It is one of very few hospitals that have both services on the same site. There has been a significant investment in the resource allocated to enhancing cystic fibrosis services at Cork University Hospital over the past number of years. In excess of €700,000 in additional revenue funding was provided to the hospital in 2006 and was used to recruit two new medical consultants, one to lead an adult service and the other to lead a paediatric service. The consultant for adult service took up his post in August 2007. Interviews for the second post were held but did not result in the selection of a suitable candidate for permanent appointment. The post is currently filled in a temporary capacity pending its filling on a permanent basis.

Additional nursing, allied health professional and clerical support staff have also been recruited for cystic services in Cork University Hospital. In 2007 the HSE southern hospitals group received an additional revenue allocation of €293,000. This funding will be used to recruit a medical scientist to support the provision of microbiology services and to advise on infection status and antibiotic susceptibility of people with cystic fibrosis. The funding will also help to enhance nursing and physiotherapy support services with the planned recruitment of two further nurse specialists and a physiotherapist for cystic fibrosis patients.

The HSE has informed the Minister for Health and Children that it is currently considering the provision in Cork University Hospital of a new dedicated facility for patients with cystic fibrosis. This would include inpatient beds, a dedicated day unit and a respiratory ward to accommodate the caseload of adult patients, and the necessary multidisciplinary team, and enable cystic fibrosis services to be delivered in line with best practice. A new facility would also provide a pathway for existing paediatric patients to move to adult care within the same setting and with many shared staff.

The Minister understands that Cork University Hospital has been in discussion with the Build4Life programme, a charitable organisation which is proposing to donate up to €1 million towards a dedicated cystic fibrosis unit at the hospital. The pace at which such developments can take place will, of course, depend on the availability of the capital and revenue funding, but the Minister and the HSE are committed to ensuring the best possible service for patents in the Cork area.

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