Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

It is probably top of the class in the country in that regard. The national day case target is 75%, but in the case of Mallow General Hospital it is only between 30% and 40%. Its mix of public and private patients is very far off the mark. Some 50% of the surgical patients are private in Mallow General Hospital and, as the Deputy is aware, the national target is 20%. I hope that in the context of the reconfiguration the targets established could be met for all hospitals. In the case of Mallow General Hospital and other hospitals, whatever is safe to take place there will take place there.

We must meet a new licensing and accreditation regime for acute hospital services, probably by 2011. If we were to introduce that licensing arrangement now and if we had the legislation, many of the services would not be licensed by any competent or objective authority because they do not meet the quality and standards of care that people are entitled to expect. Therefore, the configuration has very much been driven by patient quality and safety. I believe Professor Higgins has the capacity and vision to win the clinical support of the doctors in Mallow General Hospital. The engagement has begun, but I am unsure whether it has begun in Mallow. However, he has begun to work with his colleagues and I remain optimistic that he will reach agreement on the procedures which should take place there. It is not a matter for me, because I am not a clinician, nor would I be competent to decide.

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