Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for bring this matter before the House and I assure him that his comments will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, who is unavoidably absent. The Minister fully acknowledges the challenges that these patients are currently facing and the need for the provision of a dedicated haemodialysis service in Wexford for these patients.

The Minister is aware that haemodialysis and home dialysis services in the south east are currently provided from the parent renal unit at Waterford Regional Hospital. There are currently three consultant renal physicians working at this unit and a wide range of services are provided there. The haemodialysis unit at Waterford Regional Hospital provides chronic haemodialysis therapies to just over 100 outpatients. There is also a stand-alone satellite haemodialysis unit in Kilkenny which provides chronic haemodialysis therapies to just under 50 outpatients. Waterford Regional Hospital also provides additional inpatient haemodialysis therapies to all end-stage renal disease patients in the south-east region who require dialysis when they are unwell and are admitted to hospital. Acute haemodialysis therapies are also provided here for patients with acute kidney injury. The peritoneal dialysis unit in Waterford Regional Hospital provides training, support and follow-up care to just under 20 patients who perform peritoneal dialysis in their own homes. It is important to note that almost 20,000 dialysis treatments were provided during 2012 and over 13,000 of these were provided at Waterford Regional Hospital.

The national renal office, together with the HSE and the parent renal unit in the south east, have considered how services should develop in the south east. The vision for further development of renal services in the south east includes the development of a further satellite haemodialysis unit in Wexford. This unit would be very beneficial to those patients living in the Wexford region. It would be responsible for delivering routine care to stable chronic haemodialysis patients closer to their homes in Wexford and the HSE has identified this development in Wexford as a service priority.

Unfortunately, the HSE's service target date of end 2012 for initiating this project could not be achieved due to a legal challenge which may affect the process. The HSE has obtained legal advice in relation to the initiation of a tender process for the satellite dialysis unit in Wexford and it concludes that this should not proceed until other legal matters are resolved. The HSE must await the outcome of the legal challenge prior to deciding on next steps. It intends to proceed with the tendering process for this satellite service as soon as possible after such matters have been resolved.

I would like to pass on the Minister, Deputy Reilly's thanks to the Deputy for raising this matter. The Minister would like to assure the Deputy of both his and the HSE's commitment to this project. It is unfortunate that it has been delayed by legal issues which are outside of the control of the Minister but he wants to reassure the Deputy that as soon as these matters have been resolved, the HSE intends to proceed with tendering for a unit in the Wexford environs as soon as possible thereafter.

See this speech in context