Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

The Government is committed to ensuring the delivery and maintenance of the best quality health service possible and in providing the highest standard of patient care in an effective and efficient way with the resources allocated. Roscommon and Portiuncula hospitals play an important part in the HSE West network of acute hospitals and provide a range of acute, diagnostic and support services to both adults and children in their catchment areas which include east Galway, Roscommon, north Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath.

The HSE has been working in recent years to enhance collaboration between UCHG, Portiuncula and Roscommon hospitals in the provision of services. This is occurring, for example, in the reconfiguration of the surgical and anaesthetic departments of Portiuncula and Roscommon hospitals into a joint department of surgery and anaesthesia. In addition the HSE, in line with the commitment in its national service plan for 2010, has commenced the process of preparing a plan for the future configuration of acute hospital services in the HSE West as a whole. A process of dialogue with the hospitals, staff and other interests has begun and will continue to be conducted on a consultative and inclusive basis in the interests of ensuring safe, effective and sustainable services in the years ahead.

The HSE plans to recruit a manager with responsibility for UCHG, Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital. This initiative involves the expansion of the current post of manager at Galway and is designed to promote good co-ordination of service delivery. The purpose of this is simply to improve management processes and thereby improve services for patients. This planned appointment is also in line with the approach on the governance of acute hospitals recommended in the Health Information and Quality Authority's 2009 report on quality and safety of services at the mid-western regional hospital Ennis. This report identified integrated governance across hospital networks as an important factor in ensuring higher quality services for patients.

The current position on this matter is that the public competition conducted by the Public Appointments Service did not result in the selection of a successful candidate. The HSE is, therefore, considering further options in order to provide for this key appointment and hopes to be in a position to make an announcement presently.

The Minister is satisfied the plan to recruit a manager with responsibility for the hospitals will enhance the capacity for collaboration in service provision, provide a more strategic approach to the management of the hospitals concerned and ensure the provision of better and safer services to the people of the region. Both Roscommon and Portiuncula hospitals will continue to play key roles in the provision of hospital services to the population of the west.

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