Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I hasten to add I am not being critical, because it was placed top of the class along with St. Vincent's Hospital on the hygiene audit. Last year, I visited Mallow General Hospital and I was very impressed. There are infrastructural requirements for the hospital as there are for many acute hospitals. There are a large number of very old hospitals providing services and we must ensure any monies available for the capital plan are used to address safety issues such as those mentioned by the Deputy.

There is also a high level, that is 20%, of "did not attends" at the outpatient unit in Mallow General Hospital. I am examining measures to disincentivise people from not showing. Thousands of outpatient appointments are being lost to other patients because people simply do not attend. We must examine that also.

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