Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is branching into the health sphere in a big way today.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am versatile if nothing else.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This matter relates to the appointment of a consultant ophthalmology surgeon at South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital and the need for funding to be set aside to allow that appointment to proceed. This is extremely important. We have built a new outpatient ophthalmology unit in South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital. We have built two brand-new theatres that are fully equipped and ready to be open in mid-January. The problem is we were to transfer all the ophthalmology services from Cork University Hospital to South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital. It is not going to take place because the funding has not been allocated for the appointment of the consultant ophthalmology surgeon. There is a refusal by people to transfer until that position is clarified and the funding allocated. This is an extremely important appointment. It is an extremely important development in the context of ophthalmology services in the south and south west. If this funding is not made available, we will have further delays to the opening of a brand-new and completed facility with two new theatres and a new outpatients unit.

The submission for this appointment to be made was submitted over nine months ago. I understand it is a case of someone in the HSE signing off to confirm that funding will be made available and the position can then be advertised. As the Minister of State knows, once the position is advertised it takes a period for it to be filled, but I understand that people will transfer knowing full well that the funding is available and that the position will be filled in due course. The problem is that the HSE has not sanctioned the funding. Consequently, we have a brand-new facility that we cannot use. This matter needs to be dealt with immediately. I ask that the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, instruct the HSE to sanction the funding in order that we can proceed with advertising the position and with opening this new facility for the south and south west.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health.

The demand for ophthalmic services has grown in the region in question over the past number of years. This is due both to the development of new treatments and the ageing population profile. Recent reports predict that this demand will continue to increase in the coming years. In line with recommendations in the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology: Model of Eye Care from 2017, and in Reconfiguration of Acute Hospital Services, Cork and Kerry - A roadmap to develop an integrated university hospital network, it was decided there should be a regional department of ophthalmology.

The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital was chosen as the site best suited for this. As part of these developments, the ophthalmology outpatients department, OPD, and eye casualty at Cork University Hospital and the OPD from Mercy University Hospital will transfer to a new OPD and eye casualty building at SIVUH. These transfers are expected in early 2023.

The new ophthalmology unit includes two operating theatres, anaesthetic, scrub and prep rooms, a recovery unit and an ophthalmology day unit. The new unit will also include the most modern equipment and will have access to supportive diagnostic technology. In addition to developing hospital services, this new unit will also support continued work with the regional eye care service based in the primary community care centre in Ballingcollig. This will further strengthen links between the community and the acute hospital setting for the benefit of ophthalmology patients. It is the intention of the South/Southwest Hospital Group and the community health organisation to expand the capacity within ophthalmology services to meet the increased service demands, including the expansion of surgical and medical consultant ophthalmologist posts.

The HSE has advised that approval for an additional consultant ophthalmic surgeon post is being examined in the context of the funding available in 2023 in order to further expand the current service. The new ophthalmology unit provides further evidence of the Government's commitment to South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and to the people of Cork in providing the most appropriate care in the right place at the right time. The new ophthalmology unit is an extremely significant milestone in the evolution of services, both acute and community, for the people of Cork and the South/Southwest Hospital Group. I am not sure if that actually responds to the specific question the Deputy asked but I might come back in.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am just concerned about the use of the words "being examined". That is not going to sort my problem out. There is a new unit that has been physically built and is fully equipped, ready to roll, and there will be no use of that facility for at least three months now. We intended to open it in the middle of December. It will now not be opened because this post has not been sanctioned. My understanding is that this has been sitting on someone's desk for a long period of time now. I am asking the Minister for Health to instruct the HSE to make the funding available so the post can be advertised. I am disappointed with this reply. I understood that this was a case of someone signing off and then we could proceed to advertise the post. The Minister of State is now more or less saying that nothing is going to happen until some time in January, and probably the end of January, which means we will not be opening this new outpatient unit and these two new theatres until next July. This is not good enough. The funding has been made available by the Department and the HSE to do the building work. All of that is done. There were delays in certain aspects of those contracts. In fact, I had expected us to be opening the unit this time last year. We have delayed it 12 months and now we are going to have a delay of another six months. I am saying it is not good enough. We have to get the funding sanctioned and get that done before the end of this Dáil term. Otherwise, we are going to drag on for another six months with huge money being expended and the unit not being used. At the same time, there are people travelling to Northern Ireland in order to get ophthalmology treatment. It is not good enough. The reply is not acceptable. The wording "being examined" is not what I wanted to hear tonight.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am afraid my closing response will not give the Deputy any additional assurance. I will certainly take his concerns back to the Minister for Health. The response states that an additional consultant ophthalmic surgeon post will be required to further expand the service and that approval for the post is being examined in the context of funding made available for the HSE in 2023. That is pretty vague. We will try to get a more specific response on that for the Deputy.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In fairness to Gerry O'Dwyer, who retired yesterday as the CEO of the South/Southwest Hospital Group, he wanted to sign off on this before he left. He tried everything to get it signed off but that has to be done at a national level. He has now retired and he is disappointed that this has not been signed off. I ask that I get a response to this within the next seven days.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that. We will certainly get the Deputy a response on that. I have figures here that I will pass on to him about the waiting lists for ophthalmology services, some of which are positive. Waiting lists have decreased in some areas. I will take the Deputy's concerns back to the Minister directly and get a response for him.