Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before coming to the House, I took advice in the Department. I spoke to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies English and Thomas Byrne, to gain a good understanding of what this issue was about. Deputy O'Rourke asked me a straight question and I am giving him a straight answer. No, it is not the case. The long-standing policy still stands and there is no change in policy.

I have a script that has been prepared by the Department, which I will read. It is important but it is also important to preface it with the answer I have just given. Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, is part of Ireland East Hospital Group. In 2013, Navan hospital was included in the list of designated model 2 hospitals under the smaller hospitals framework. The framework was approved by the then Government in 2013.

The Ireland East Hospital Group has been engaged in a programme of work to plan for future service configuration at Navan hospital in line with the Government decision. This aims to further integrate and enhance the role of Navan hospital within the hospital group. Every hospital in the group has a key role. Smaller hospitals such as Navan hospital are well placed to manage routine, urgent or planned care locally, while more complex cases are managed in larger hospitals.

Changes to services at Navan hospital will be undertaken in a planned and orderly manner, when agreed, on completion of the necessary planning, which is ongoing. Planning envisages the development of a 24-7 acute medical assessment unit at Navan hospital, which is an extension of the current medical assessment unit hours at Navan. It also includes a 12-7 local injuries unit. This will replace the current emergency department and ensure that the hospital continues to cater for unscheduled presentations where appropriate and safe to do so.

I understand that it is likely that the medical assessment unit and local injuries unit services will cater for around 80% of the unscheduled presentations to Navan hospital currently. The ambulance bypass of Navan hospital is already in place for patients who have acute coronary symptoms and for major trauma, including fractured femur. The planning envisages an extended role for the hospital in areas such as delivery of day and ambulatory surgical activity to support the overall delivery of access to care targets for the group, and strengthened links with the Mater Hospital in terms of clinical governance and patient safety.

These changes will require some investment and this will take time. Capital works are under way this year to bring a second theatre into operation at Navan hospital. I understand Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, has relatively recently opened a new laboratory and a new rehabilitation facility with 20 beds. That is a considerable investment. Clearly, it is essential that we resource other receiving hospitals before we make any change to the services at Navan hospital. This core part of the planning is under way and will take considerable time.

It is important to emphasise that changes will be about patient safety and quality, on one hand, and ensuring that people have care as close to home as possible, on the other. The HSE has stated clearly there is a patient safety rationale for the change and we must be mindful of that.

The vision for the hospital in the future is that it will be a core element in the delivery of integrated care for patients in line with the Sláintecare vision - providing the right care in the right place at the right time, building up capacity and supporting delivery of integrated and ambulatory care as close to home as possible.

For the Deputies opposite who did not receive a response from the HSE, I will contact directly whoever is in charge of this area seeking a detailed response as to why the good Deputies are not being communicated with as public representatives on the ground.

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