Dáil debates

Thursday, 7 April 2011

4:00 pm

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me an opportunity to discuss the proposed transfer of services from St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital to the South Infirmary. The former hospital is located in a large green area on the north side of Cork city, has plenty of space available to it to develop and expand services and has one of the lowest infection rates of any hospital in the State. It also has ample room for parking and is located on a bus route and near local services. As an orthopaedic hospital set on large grounds, it is clearly ideal for orthopaedic patients.

Under the hospital reconfiguration plan, it is proposed to move the services of St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital to the South Infirmary, a city centre hospital located on a cramped site with no parking space and with access problems. The proposal does not make any sense. If services are moved to the South Infirmary, fewer orthopaedic beds will be available.

Prior to the general election the Fine Gael Party gave, in its own words, a "cast iron guarantee" that, in government, it would ensure that St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital remained open and services would not be transferred to the South Infirmary. The current Minister, Deputy James Reilly, supported this guarantee. In light of a debate which has arisen since the general election on whether Fine Gael gave a cast iron guarantee or simply promised to hold a review, I checked the statements made prior to the election and listened to a number of radio debates. In fact, a review was not mentioned. The statement made was that if Fine Gael was in government, the hospital would stay open and services would not be transferred. As a result, people feel very betrayed. A U-turn is happening here.

The review being undertaken is a sham for several reasons. We have yet to be told the terms of reference for the review, who will carry out the review or how long it will take. Will patients and members of staff be consulted? When will a report be published on foot of the review? When will a decision be made on the transfer of services? I will explain why those questions are important. I accept that the Minister, Deputy Reilly, has said services will not be transferred while this review is taking place. Work is ongoing in the South Infirmary, however, to ensure it will be ready to accept these services after it has been decided to transfer them. We are being told the transfer of services has been halted pending the outcome of the review ordered by the Minister, but at the same time the review is being undermined by the continuation of work at the alternative site. The operating theatres are being constructed and other work is proceeding. If the work at the South Infirmary is not halted for the duration of this review, we will reach a stage at which the transfer of services to that location will become financially viable. The people of my constituency are angry about that. The work that is under way at the South Infirmary has to cease now.

There is a perception - to be honest, it is fair - that the review is potentially no more than a smokescreen. When I met hospital workers last week, we realised we share the opinion that the Government wants to get to a point at which the work at the South Infirmary site has progressed so far that there is no option other than to transfer these services. The people of my constituency of Cork North-Central, which has been neglected by a Fianna Fáil Government for 14 years, would like to be reassured that this is not the case. As a result of their decision to vote for change, Deputy Dara Murphy, who is present for this debate, and I were elected to represent the constituency in this Chamber. The people were tired of Fianna Fáil Government, tired of broken promises and tired of a lack of investment in the constituency. They wanted something different. There is no way the people I represent will take this decision lying down.

The time for political rhetoric has ended. When I tabled a written question on this matter to the Minister two weeks ago, the answer I received was not worth the paper on which it was written, to be honest. I wish to specify the questions I want answered. The people of Cork North-Central deserve to get answers. I am not interested in scripted responses. I asked for this Adjournment debate so that I could put these questions and get answers to them. People want clarity on this issue. What are the terms of reference for the review? Who will carry out the review? When will it start? When will it finish? When will the Minister publish its findings? Will the review consult patient groups and members of staff? We want a cast-iron guarantee that the Minister will give a commitment to stop work at the South Infirmary site pending the outcome of the review.

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Reilly. I thank Deputy O'Brien for raising the issue. The Minister recently asked the HSE to identify any cases in which it plans to withdraw services from individual acute hospitals in the coming months and to brief the Minister on the circumstances and implications in each case. I assure the Deputy that this is not a smokescreen. The Minister has made it quite clear that he wants the HSE to set out its intentions in an up-front and clear manner. Pending such a briefing, the Minister has asked the HSE not to withdraw or transfer any acute services. If the HSE considers that a change in service arrangements is urgently needed in an individual case, the Minister has required the HSE to inform him of the reasons for this and the steps being taken.

In May 2010, as part of a wider plan to organise acute hospital services in the Cork and Kerry region in the safest and most efficient way, the HSE announced its intention to relocate orthopaedic services, including elective inpatient, rehabilitation, trauma and day surgery, from St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital. This would involve the establishment of a new paediatric orthopaedic service in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital to cater for the needs of children from the region who currently attend Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin. The proposals involve the retention of remaining services, such as mental health, intellectual disability, ambulance, outreach maternity and health centre services, at the St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital campus. They also involve the provision of a new community nursing unit to provide 30 replacement and 20 new residential places for older people.

The Minister will discuss these issues with the HSE in the context of the provision of acute hospital services in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. Pending the completion of this process, there will be no change to the current service arrangements at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital. I take the Deputy's point that the undertaking of reviews while work is ongoing can be a self-fulfilling operation. I will relay that point to the Minister, Deputy Reilly.

The Minister will discuss these issues with the HSE in the context of the provision of acute hospital services in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. Pending the completion of this process, there will be no change to the current service arrangements at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital. I take the Deputy's point that the undertaking of reviews while work is ongoing can be a self-fulfilling operation. I will relay that point to the Minister, Deputy Reilly.

The Minister will discuss these issues with the HSE in the context of the provision of acute hospital services in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. Pending the completion of this process, there will be no change to the current service arrangements at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital. I take the Deputy's point that the undertaking of reviews while work is ongoing can be a self-fulfilling operation. I will relay that point to the Minister, Deputy Reilly.