Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The HIQA report has identified a number of immediate issues that need to be addressed. The Minister for Health has asked the HSE to address those issues as a priority and to ensure that the hospital is properly supported in its role by the other hospitals in the hospital group to provide a proper service, as one would expect for the patients in the midlands. It is important that in any changes at Portlaoise hospital patient safety and good quality outcomes come first. Reports on Portlaoise hospital over the years have pointed to the need for reconfiguration of some services to ensure that patients are treated in the best setting and by specialist staff that can safely meet their needs. The group has been working for some time on a draft plan for a new model of clinical service delivery at Portlaoise hospital, which takes account of the need of the hospital to develop services at Portlaoise in the context of developing the service provision model for the entire hospital group. The HSE has submitted the draft plan to the Department of Health and it will now be reviewed in detail by the Department. Any changes to services at Portlaoise hospital, once approved, will be undertaken in a planned and orderly manner and will take into account existing patient flows and demands in other hospitals and the need to develop particular services at Portlaoise hospital in the context of the Dublin midlands hospital group. That work is now received and is being examined in detail by the Department.

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