Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is an important and timely debate on the need for the HSE to approve the staffing submission by the Regional Hospital Mullingar for the new MRI unit. I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the assistance of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, in the increased funding for the new outpatient department, on which work commenced several weeks ago. More than six years ago, a commitment was given by the HSE to the Friends of Regional Hospital Mullingar that if it fundraised and provided for the MRI machine, the HSE would construct the building to house the machine and would staff the operation. I compliment the Friends of Regional Hospital Mullingar, both the existing committee and previous committees, on the work it has done in fundraising over the years and the support it has given the hospital. John McGrath and Mandy Reilly are very strong in their support and the need for this staffing. The Minister met them when he was in Mullingar before Christmas. To date, it has raised €950,000, with the machine costing €1.2 million. With a VAT rebate of €283,000, sufficient funding is in place, the machine has been ordered and it is due to be fitted on the 21 June and operational from July.

The HSE has honoured part of its commitment, as the building is almost complete. The signs are positive, which I must acknowledge, in relation to staffing as approval has been given for a specialist post of a radiographer, which was advertised today. However, the full staffing submission made last year needs approval without delay. We have been fortunate to have a very efficient and effective management team in the hospital in Mullingar under Kay Slevin. They made a very streamlined staffing submission ensuring the most efficient use of resources. The annual costs will be €1.5 million, which is not a huge amount of money when taken in the context that last year alone the hospital spent €500,000 just on taxis and travel costs to bring patients from the hospital to other locations to have their MRIs completed. Some 902 MRI scans were done last year. That also does not take into account lost bed days. The Minister of State will know from his professional experience that for every patient who must travel outside of the hospital, one to two bed days are lost. This new MRI scanner will cater for children and will greatly assist in reducing outpatient lists.

Even if the Minister of State were to tell me this evening that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, who is aware of this issue, said that the HSE has given sanction for this staffing submission, it would still take three to six months to fill the posts, depending on availability. There cannot be a situation in which a machine has been commissioned and is in place and a building has been completed but without staff in place to bring the machine into operation. I wish the Minister of State to convey to the Minister the urgency of having the HSE sanction this submission, which it has had for months, and ensure the capital investment made will not be underutilised.

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