Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am again taking this item on the Adjournment Debate on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

The Government is committed to ensuring quality health services, delivered efficiently and effectively. Ensuring patient safety is paramount, so that people can have confidence in the services and that the best possible patient outcomes are achieved.

Dermatology is the medical specialty caring for illness predominately relating to the skin, hair and nails. It is mainly an out-patient/day care activity with a small in-patient requirement. The HSE recognises that dermatology services in the HSE south east region require further development. The proposed development of services is in line with the main principles and key recommendations as identified by the Comhairle na nOspidéal report of the Committee on Dermatology Services published in November 2003.

Among the main principles of the Comhairle approach are an equitable and patient centred service regional self-sufficiency and collaboration between primary and secondary care. At present there is one consultant dermatologist working in the south east region. The dermatology service includes in-patient care where required; day cases and out-patient consultations. Outreach clinics are provided in Wexford, Kilkenny and Clonmel. In Waterford Regional Hospital, the dermatology services include a range facilities including out-patient clinics, cryotherapy, minor surgery and nurse-led phototherapy services.

The HSE has identified the provision of a second consultant dermatology post among its priorities for development. This year the Minister allocated funding to the HSE for demographic service pressures, and the Executive decided to prioritise posts in vascular surgery and orthopaedics in the south east. These posts were approved and are now being progressed.

The HSE is faced with difficult choices in delivering its services within the resources available. It will continue to keep the scope for further developments in dermatology services under consideration bearing in mind the funds it has available. In line with the national service plan 2009 and its transformation programme, the HSE will review the current configuration of acute hospital services in the south east. A steering group is developing a plan for hospital reconfiguration.

This plan will seek to deliver optimal and cost effective services that are easily and readily accessible and that are delivered through centres of excellence. All hospitals in the south eastern hospital group are included in the plan for the revised model. The review, which includes a broad-based consultation within the services, is likely to be completed in 2010. Decisions on the services of any individual hospital will be taken following its completion.

It is within the context of this review that any expansion of the dermatology services in the south east will be considered.

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