Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. Patient safety is central to the delivery of health services. Ensuring patient safety is of paramount importance, so people can have confidence in the care they receive and have the best possible outcomes. The overwhelming consensus among clinical experts is that demonstrably better outcomes, as seen in cancer care, are achieved for patients if delivery of complex care takes places where the necessary staff and equipment are available and where there are sufficient volumes of activity. The evidence also emphasises the need to provide timely emergency care to patients in an appropriate setting. To achieve better outcomes for patients, hospitals will need to fundamentally change the types of service they deliver to their communities and how those services are delivered.

The reconfiguration of services in the HSE south area, when implemented, will result in an improved service. The clinical benefits for patients will be significant and the treatment offered will be of the highest standard. Mallow General Hospital is one of six acute hospitals covered by the 2008 Horwath and Teamwork review of acute services in Cork and Kerry. The task of reconfiguring acute services is informed by the principles stated in that review, as well as by the extensive consultation processes that have been carried out with stakeholders.

The reconfiguration process is based on all hospitals delivering acute care within a national framework that is clear, safe and transparent. The quality and clinical care directorate of the HSE has established a number of national programmes of care designed to lead to improvement and standardisation in health delivery outcomes. Discussions are ongoing about developing a national framework for acute medical care in our hospital system that gives clarity to hospitals, ambulance staff and patients on how acute medical emergencies will be dealt with. These discussions are clinician-led and include the active engagement of the management and staff of Mallow General Hospital.

The overall reconfiguration plan for Cork and Kerry will consist of a comprehensive set of proposals, encompassing all acute services across the six Cork and Kerry hospitals. The contribution that Mallow General Hospital makes to the people of north Cork and the importance of its capacity to the acute hospital system of Cork and Kerry is recognised in this context. I understand that elements of the plan are still under discussion and, accordingly, they should not be taken out of context. What can be said at this stage is that the plan will seek to use all hospitals in the region in an integrated manner, to provide better access to and improved capacity in all types of hospital care, both acute and less complex, and ultimately to provide a more equitable health service for all the people in Cork and Kerry.

I hear what Deputy Sherlock is saying. I will ask the Minister to organise the meeting he mentioned in his speech and I am sure that his office and the HSE will come back to Deputy Sherlock as quickly as possible.

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