Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this matter and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, who could not be here tonight. I assure the Deputy that, as the Minister stated previously, the most important issue with regard to consideration of services at the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise is that patient safety and outcomes must come first. The Minister is committed to securing and further developing the role of the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

As the Deputy is aware, there have been a number of reports on the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise in recent years. These reports have pointed to the need for reconfiguration of some services to ensure patients are treated in the most appropriate setting by specialist staff who can safely meet their needs. Since 2014, the focus has been on supporting the hospital to develop and enhance management capability, implementing changes required to address clinical service deficiencies and incorporating the hospital into the governance structures of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

Significant work has been undertaken to strengthen and stabilise current arrangements for services at the hospital to ensure that services currently provided that are not sustainable are discontinued and those that are sustainable are safety assured and adequately resourced. The Health Service Executive has confirmed that hospital funding has increased by 28% relative to the 2012 budget and staffing levels have risen by 29% from the 2014 base. Funding of €300,000 has also been provided in 2017 to facilitate the opening of the new medical assessment unit. In addition, governance and management arrangements in Portlaoise hospital have been strengthened, additional clinical staff have been appointed and staff training, hospital culture and communications have improved.

The Dublin Midlands Hospital 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 to develop services at the hospital in the context of developing the model of service provision for the entire hospital group. The draft plan has been submitted to the Department of Health and is being reviewed in detail. I emphasise again that patient and public requirements are paramount and have underpinned the Department’s consideration of the draft plan.

Any changes to services at Portlaoise hospital would have to take account of existing patient flows and demands in other hospitals as well as the need to develop particular services at the hospital in the context of the overall service configuration in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. As the Deputy is aware, there is increased pressure on the emergency department, patient flows and other services.

I assure the House again that once there is an agreed position on the draft plan, it is intended that there will be further engagement with all interested parties to ensure the needs of patients, staff and the local and wider community are addressed.

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