Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to clarify that there was no intention to insult the Deputy or degrade the issue. It was human error that I was given a response to a different Topical Issue matter. I now have the correct script, which, with the indulgence of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I will read.

I thank Deputy Fleming for raising this matter. I would like to reassure him that, as stated previously by the Minister, Deputy Harris, the most important issue in regard to the consideration of services at the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise is that patient safety and outcomes come first. The Minister has committed to securing and further developing the role of the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands hospital group. 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 within 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 that are not sustainable are discontinued and that sustainable services are safely assured and adequately resourced. Funding has increased by 42% relative to the 2012 budget and staffing levels have risen by 31% from the 2014 base. 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 that takes account of the need to develop services at Portlaoise in the context of developing a model of service provision for the entire hospital group. The draft plan has been submitted to the Department of Health. I would like to emphasise again that patient and public requirements are paramount and have underpinned the Department's consideration of the draft plan.

The HSE group involved in the development of the draft action plan for Portlaoise hospital included eight national clinical programmes, the National Ambulance Service and the HSE national acute hospitals division. This group focused on the risk issues and the interdependencies of the various clinical services across the emergency department, general surgery, general medicine, general paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatology. The HSE consultations took place with the clinical staff and management in Portlaoise general practitioners, the Irish Prison Service, Tallaght Hospital, paediatric surgery and emergency department services, and the master of the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital. As the Minister outlined previously, no decision has been made on the draft action plan for Portlaoise hospital. He has committed to ensuring that local clinicians and the community will be consulted before a decision is made, and he has decided that a comprehensive consultation exercise should be undertaken by the HSE with an external facilitator and involving the key stakeholder groups in Portlaoise hospital. The consultation will involve key stakeholders and local community representatives and provide an opportunity to listen to and address the issues and concerns that stakeholders have highlighted. The consultation will also provide an opportunity to set out the immediate priorities for service development and improvement in the hospital.

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