Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy can be justifiably proud of the contribution he has made in terms of what Roscommon hospital now provides. It is quite incredible. I refer to the transition from what was perceived to be an acute hospital to a different type of service, which sometimes serves communities better.

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address the House on this important issue. An allocation of €5.5 million was provided for the building of a new endoscopy unit at Roscommon hospital. The new facility will increase the capacity of the hospital from 16 endoscopy procedures per day to 30 procedures per day, or 6,000 per annum. This new endoscopy unit will provide a significant addition to what is already an impressive range of services at the hospital, including extended day surgery, selected acute medicine, a large range of diagnostic services, specialist rehabilitation medicine and palliative care. More important, it will support the work of the hospital as an approved centre for colorectal screening under the governance of the National Cancer Screening Service.

The endoscopy service at Roscommon hospital is accredited by the joint accreditation group and maintains the highest possible standards of care for its patients. These patient-centred goals are best described by the endoscopy global rating scale, which endeavours to maintain standards in clinical quality, patient experience, workforce and training. These standards contribute significantly to the comfort and dignity afforded to the patient, the timeliness of the procedure, the quality of the procedure and the speed and accuracy of communication with the patient and the referring doctor. Work commenced on the new endoscopy unit at Roscommon hospital last year and I am assured that the construction has progressed well and is on target for completion and commissioning. Funding and staff requirements, including additional nurses and health care assistants, for the new facility have been considered in the context of the 2016 Estimates process and will be addressed as part of the 2016 HSE service plan discussions, which are currently under way.

It is anticipated that the new endoscopy unit at Roscommon hospital will open on a phased basis in 2016, marking a new chapter in the hospital's proud history of providing high-quality care to the people of Roscommon.

The development of this new facility is proof that, despite the pressures and challenges facing our health system - no one would know them better than Deputy Feighan, who raised the issue - this Government is determined to move forward, improve what we are doing and deliver the best possible outcomes for patients.

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