Dáil debates

Thursday, 10 December 2020

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Hospital Facilities

11:00 am

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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81. To ask the Minister for Health the engagement he has had with the HSE regarding the plan to develop a new emergency department at University Hospital Galway; the status of the development of the planned emergency department; if the HSE has to date completed its consideration of the feasibility report regarding the inclusion of the maternity department in the new block; if so, the planned next steps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42331/20]

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I am sure the Minister is familiar with the emergency department in the hospital in Galway. At what stage is this project? When will planning permission be submitted? Prior to the 2016 general election, the former Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, stated that the exiting department was not fit for purpose. Deputy Varadkar, who later became Taoiseach, stated that it was not fit for purpose. The current Taoiseach said it was not fit for purpose. Between feasibility problems and business case design, I have no idea what stage the plans have reached.

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the Deputy's advocacy for this essential healthcare infrastructure for the region in question. I had a very productive meeting with the Saolta group some days ago regarding ongoing projects at University Hospital Galway, including this one, and a discussion on elective facilities in the region.

I am happy to say this project for a new emergency department at University Hospital Galway, which is part of a larger development incorporating maternity and paediatric services, will be included in the capital plan for 2021 along with funding to progress the business case for elective hospitals. The design for the main block, incorporating a full fit out for the women and children's service, has been finalised and the cost-benefit analysis is to be updated for this development. The design for a temporary emergency department, which is to be constructed, has been signed off in the past week. This is an enabling work to clear the site for the main block development. A procurement process is being progressed as part of this project. It is expected that these works will commence in the first quarter of 2021. Other site enabling works are ongoing in preparation for the main emergency department and women and children's block development, including road and services realignment. Covid-related winter works for the emergency department are currently in progress and expected to be completed in this month or January.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I asked for a response in plain English. Where is the planning permission at? When will the planning application be submitted for the emergency department in Galway? In 2017, then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, told us that a new emergency department for University Hospital Galway was being designed with a view to planning for construction being provided as part of the 2017 capital plan review. This hospital serves almost 1 million people from Donegal right down along the west coast. That is six or seven counties. The entire hospital is not fit for purpose. I wish I had time to go into that matter. There should be a brand new hospital at Merlin Park, not just the elective facility that is planned. After talking to the HSE and after years of delay, when will planning permission for the emergency department be submitted to the city council for approval?

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I will get a specific answer. That specific query was not included in the question the Deputy submitted, which seeks an update on the totality of the works. The latter is what I endeavoured to provide. I will revert to the Deputy very quickly with the timeline relating to her additional specific question on planning permission.

On the new hospital, I had a very constructive meeting with the Saolta group this week. It has a plan that would incorporate a more ambitious project than simply the elective day case hospital which is under consideration. It includes inpatient beds, additional operating theatres and so on. It would be very favourably disposed to that being on the Merlin Park site. We are progressing that. This week, the Department has received a report on all the potential sites for this really important development.

The most important information regarding when construction on the emergency department will start is that it is being included in the capital plan for next year. That has not happened before. It is very important work.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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My question was specifically on the Minister's engagement with the HSE regarding the plan to develop a new emergency department. Given the history of this matter, it is quite obvious that planning permission was the main thing.

I have a slightly different opinion. I believe that a brand new hospital should be built on the 150 to 180 acres of the Merlin Park Hospital site and that both facilities should be used as sister hospitals. I am no expert, however. The options appraisal did recommend a brand new hospital. The decision was to take a small part of that and to build an elective hospital at Merlin Park. I would welcome change on that. If there is a move to having a brand new hospital at Merlin Park to serve a population of over 1 million and rising, I welcome that. However, I am tired of the scripts about feasibility studies, business cases and examining things relating to a hospital that is not fit for purpose. It seems to be driven by certain elements in the medical community rather than a proper appraisal of a need for a new hospital which the options appraisal has gone some way to do. If we keep going like this, a new hospital will be built before there is a new emergency department. It makes sense to build a new hospital, not to have parallel buildings and a waste of money.

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In defence of University Hospital Galway, I think it is fit for purpose. The staff there do exceptional work. I visited the hospital when I was in opposition.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The staff do exceptional work, it is the building I am concerned about.

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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They do indeed do exceptional work. The proposition of elective hospitals is one being deployed in Cork, Galway and Dublin. It is international best practice and is going well where it is used. Tallaght has secured an elective-only site in its area. The idea is to separate scheduled and unscheduled care as that has good outcomes.

I take the point about having a more ambitious plan than just building an elective hospital. The Saolta group shares that view and we had a detailed discussion about the matter during the week.

To finish on a positive note on emergency departments, when I was in opposition, last year and in previous year, the Deputy and I had pushed hard on the issue of trolley counts and people, particularly older individuals, waiting on trolleys, sometimes for days, including in Galway. It is only the second week of December and still early days, but I am glad to report that so far this year while 90% of people are coming to emergency departments and 90% being admitted relative to last year because of the good work done on the €600 million winter plan, including investment for Galway. The trolley count is at less than 30% week for week compared with last year. Many of those on trolleys are for shorter and shorter times and are in more appropriate conditions suitable to the Covid environment.