Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Lynch for raising this matter. I assure her that reconfiguration is also a buzzword in Wexford and the south east. I will be taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Mary Harney, Minister for Health and Children. The Government is committed to ensuring delivery of the best quality health services possible, in an effective and efficient way. We are all familiar with the expert advice that, for the delivery of complex care, outcomes for patients are better if the care takes places where the necessary staff and equipment are to hand and, crucially, where there is a sufficient volume of activity. The success of this approach has already been demonstrated through the national cancer service, based on the principles of patient safety and quality. The expert opinion is that the adoption of this approach throughout the acute hospital system will lead to improved services.

The HSE south's business plan for 2010 prioritises the reconfiguration of its acute hospital services. Undoubtedly, this will produce significant changes in the way health services are delivered and organised in the region. Principal to this new delivery is the plan to create a single acute hospital system across the region to achieve the best possible health outcomes for the people of Cork and Kerry. As part of this process, the HSE will be relocating some services between the six acute hospitals. Earlier this month, HSE south announced its intention to relocate orthopaedic services, including elective inpatient, rehabilitation trauma and day surgery, from St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital to the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital. The objective in relocating orthopaedic services to an acute hospital setting, with related specialties on-site including rheumatology and anaesthetics, is a much enhanced service.

The relocation of orthopaedic services to an acute setting is the first element of the reconfiguration programme. Patients from Cork, Kerry and the wider Munster area will benefit from improved treatment and surgery for conditions including spinal and skeletal injuries and deformities, in addition to rehabilitation for damaged joints and muscles. The redeveloped facility will have three dedicated orthopaedic theatres, compared to the two in St. Mary's. It is also intended, following the move, to recommence orthopaedic surgery for children, for which HSE south patients must currently attend Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, in Dublin. Patient accommodation will also be upgraded. The HSE remains fully committed to the future use of the St. Mary's site as a health complex. It intends to maintain existing services on campus, including mental health, intellectual disability, ambulance, outreach, maternity and health centre services. The newly built 50-bed community nursing unit is due to open this year. The outpatient facility site will also be retained and a range of consultant and nurse-led outpatient services will be delivered.

HSE south has had discussions with Cork City Council and is working with other partners on the future use of the site for additional health facilities, such as a major primary care centre. A key purpose of this engagement is to ensure that adequate provision is made to meet the future health service requirements of the population of this area. This will be undertaken as part of the city council's review of the master plan for the area. The move of orthopaedic services into an acute hospital setting, as part of a coherent and structured reorganisation of the delivery of acute services in the HSE south area, supported by best international practice, is a progressive and innovative initiative. The result will be better outcomes and health services for the people of the region.

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