Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health. At the outset, I sincerely thank the Deputy and his party for their commitment to the radiology services in County Louth and giving me the opportunity to speak on this important issue. Louth County Hospital is part of the HSE Dublin and North-East health region. In conjunction with Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, these hospitals operate with an integrated managerial and clinical governance system, care pathways and support functions. In relation to diagnostic waiting lists generally, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, and the HSE are currently carrying out an exercise to progress the collection of national radiology waiting list data.

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The purpose of this data is to provide a national level overview of the number of patients waiting for modalities of CT, MRI and ultrasound. These reports are heavily caveated, including, for example, that in addition to data in respect of urgent and routine activity, the reports also include surveillance of planned activity. As such, the current reports make it difficult to draw conclusions about the number of patients actually waiting for access to a scan. The quarter 2 report indicates that at the end of June 2025, less than ten patients in the county hospital in Louth and 6,414 patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda were waiting for an ultrasound.

What is important for patients is the implementation of the NTPF's national radiology diagnostic waiting list management protocol by all hospitals published in October 24. This will ensure that patients are administratively managed in a safe, timely, fair and equitable manner while waiting, as well as facilitating the improved data collection and reporting. Publication of the validated radiology diagnostic waiting list information will enable full analysis of diagnostic waiting times and provide a more completed understanding of how many patients are waiting, how long they are waiting and the specific services for which they are waiting. This is scheduled for quarter 3 of 2026.

As the Deputy is aware, a clinical specialist radiographer vacancy has arisen in Louth County Hospital. A recruitment process to fill this vacancy is under way and I am advised that the position is currently being advertised. The closing date for receiving applications is 30 November 2025. Subject to suitable applications being received, interviews will be scheduled in due course. The Minister has been assured by the HSE that while this recruitment process is ongoing, there will be no disruption to patient care or service delivery. All clinical services continue to operate as normal, ensuring that patients and service users experience no change in access, quality or continuity of care. I also understand that enhanced governance arrangements are being implemented for this position. These are designed to strengthen oversight, improve co-ordination and ensure clear lines of accountability across LCH and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda. The Minister has also been advised by the HSE that the clinical specialist radiographer will be primarily based at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, with integrated managerial and clinical governance responsibilities across Louth County Hospital, demonstrating this integrated approach. I am informed that many of the outpatient CT and ultrasound appointments from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda are performed in the radiology department in Louth County Hospital, Dundalk.

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