Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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The issue at hand is that Friends of University Hospital Kerry has raised millions of euro for University Hospital Kerry over the years. I commend the group. Deputy Ferris knows those concerned as well as I do. They are ordinary, decent, hard-working people from Tralee and all around County Kerry who have supported the hospital under the umbrella of the group. They have done trojan work and picked up the slack of the current and previous Governments, which have let them down. They have raised millions of euro for much-needed equipment for our hospital in County Kerry. One item of equipment for which the group provided funding was a DEXA scanner. The scanner was staffed for a while but unfortunately it now lies idle. Patients now have to travel to Cork or pay privately to have their scans carried out privately in Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee. We are very grateful the latter hospital is in the county also. It provides an excellent service. Why, however, is a vital piece of medical equipment lying idle? The Department of Health has so many Ministers, including the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, much as we may like him, that one would nearly want a stick to wave at all of them. With the mismanagement of taxpayers' money, we cannot staff the vital piece of machinery, which was paid for through fund-raising by Friends of University Hospital Kerry. It has been lying idle for four years. There has been inaction by the current and previous Ministers and the HSE. It is disgraceful and disrespectful to the people of Kerry and the staff of the hospital, who would gladly man the equipment if they were allowed to do so.

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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The importance of a DEXA scanner, particularly for middle-aged women, cannot be stressed highly enough. A DEXA scanner measures bone density. I was looking at some of the statistics on bone density and the importance of a DEXA scanner, particularly in respect of fractures. The number of fractures, particularly among middle-aged women, exceeds the number of all other conditions. Women are twice as likely to have a fracture as a heart attack, five times more likely to have one than cancer, and eight times more likely to have one than a stroke. The value of the scanner to University Hospital Kerry is immeasurable.

I have data on the years prior to the four years in which the machine was in operation. Two hundred and two people went through the scanner in the first year of operation and 290 people in its last year of operation. I am told 800 people are waiting to be scanned by the scanner. As stated by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, Friends of University Hospital Kerry raised a considerable amount of money. It bought the scanner for the hospital and installed it. The Department of Health needs to make a radiologist available so the 800 plus patients can get the scans they need in order for them to have their rights and entitlements. Having to go to Cork or receive private care is not an excuse. It should not be the case. I have spoken to the Kerry general manager on this issue. Deputy Healy Rae spoke to him also. We raised the necessity of the scanner at meetings we attended and, on each occasion, we were told that there are not the personnel to run it because the funding has not been made available. I urge the Minister of State to give this immediate consideration.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris. I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I welcome all the Deputies back after the summer recess. Raising this issue gives me an opportunity to provide an update to the House on the DEXA Scanner at University Hospital Kerry. I agree with my colleagues and acknowledge the tremendous efforts of Friends of University Hospital Kerry, which has been instrumental in encouraging charitable contributions from the community towards the work of the hospital. I thank it most sincerely for the provision of the scanner in 2015 to meet a growing patient need. The HSE has advised that, despite numerous national and international recruitment drives, University Hospital Kerry has been unable to recruit a full complement of radiographers to provide DEXA scanning services. However, I understand that University Hospital Kerry is currently interviewing for basic and senior radiographers and the hospital hopes to appoint staff within the coming weeks, following which the hospital may be in a position to consider re-establishing the service. The hospital is also seeking to identify suitably qualified staff, other than radiographers, to undertake training in the operation of the DEXA scanner. Furthermore, other options including potential outsourcing will be considered.

It is important to note that the challenges in the recruitment and retention of radiographers are not specific to University Hospital Kerry but are also reflected right across the country. Following a decision in 2016 to conduct a national review, approval was obtained in September 2017 from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to appoint an independent chair to conduct the review. The terms of reference for the review include a wide range of issues for examination, including retention and recruitment. It is important to note that this review will not examine issues related to pay that are being addressed by the Public Service Pay Commission.

A series of site visits concluded in early 2018. The purpose of these visits was to gain a greater understanding of the day-to-day issues that are a cause of concern for the radiographers. It is expected that a draft report containing recommendations will be agreed by the review group in the near future. It is important to note that the radiographers comprise one of the healthcare professional groups being examined under module 2, phase 2, of the work being undertaken by the Public Service Pay Commission. This group was identified for further examination as evidence of recruitment and-or retention difficulties was found to exist during the work undertaken as part of the commission’s work for its first report. The report concerning module 2, phase 2, is due to be published in the coming weeks.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Most importantly, I thank Minister of State for acknowledging Friends of University Hospital Kerry. Some 800 patients are waiting, however. If I believed the response was going to be factual, that the scanner would be up and running in the next couple of weeks and that patients would not have to wait, go to Cork or pay for a scan in Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee, I would very warmly welcome it. If the machine can meet its full potential and be put to its full use, it would be most welcome.

I wish to advise the Minister of State of one thing. In a common, ordinary and sensible way, could I ask him to take a leaf out of the book I describe? He should note the number of people I take to Belfast regularly to have cataracts removed from their eyes. Surgeons come in on a Sunday to carry out scheduled operations. They go through a bus load at a time. Why can we not do this here in the Republic? Why can we not operate our hospitals in this way and use the machinery in place to reduce waiting lists?

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am just looking at answers I received when I raised this matter in the past. The answers have been somewhat similar. They stated the hospital hoped to appoint staff within the coming weeks and that it might be in a position to reconsider the service. This is typical Civil Service-speak. There is no substance to it. The response is that the hospital is "seeking to identify suitably qualified staff". This has been ongoing for four years. I cannot understand how, in the past four years, the HSE and hospital were not able to identify and appoint suitable staff. There were 202 patients and 290 patients, respectively, scanned in the first two years of operation. The number on the waiting list has grown to over 800.

I hope that what is in the Minister of State's reply comes to pass in the coming weeks, but I have heard it all before. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae and other Kerry Deputies who have met with the hospital management in recent years are in a position to vouch for what I am saying.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Of course, I fully understand the local frustrations of Deputies Michael Healy-Rae and Ferris in respect of the 800 people to whom they refer and the fact that a DEXA scanner has been provided through the voluntary donations of the people of Kerry but cannot be used due to a shortage of the radiographers required to operate it. I understand their frustration and annoyance in that regard. The HSE advises that the hospital is engaging with Friends of University Hospital Kerry in respect of progress and that the hospital is extremely grateful for the tremendous fundraising work the foundation has carried out. I encourage the management of University Hospital Kerry to work quickly to progress local solutions to this issue and I look forward to the outcome of the national radiographer review and to any recommendations that will promote the recruitment and retention of radiographers in the Irish healthcare system. Of course, I will bring the concerns the Deputies have raised here today back to the Department, to the HSE, and to the Minister, Deputy Harris.