James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 47, 54, 66, 71, 76 and 376 together.

I am committed to ensuring that acute hospital services at national, regional and local level are provided in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. In particular, I wish to ensure that as many services as possible can be provided safely in smaller, local hospitals. To fully consider the issues involved, I am being briefed by my Department and the Health Service Executive, HSE, on the organisation of acute services in each region and on the important clinical programmes being developed by the HSE. These inter-related programmes aim to improve service quality, effectiveness and patient access and to ensure that patient care is provided in the service setting most appropriate to individuals' needs. The aim is to ensure that patients receive treatment in the most timely, cost-effective fashion that is safe and as close to home as possible.

I am very impressed with the work done by Dr. Barry White and his colleagues in developing these programmes. I have already had several discussions with him about how best to ensure that they are implemented. I have also made it clear that patient safety must be the overriding priority. I want patients to be treated at the lowest level of complexity that is safe, timely, efficient and as near to home as possible.

I also want to be briefed by the HSE before any further services are withdrawn from individual hospitals. The Secretary General of my Department has written to the CEO of the HSE asking him to make the necessary arrangements.

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