Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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This is an important and timely debate on the need for the HSE to approve the staffing submission by the Regional Hospital Mullingar for the new MRI unit. I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the assistance of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, in the increased funding for the new outpatient department, on which work commenced several weeks ago. More than six years ago, a commitment was given by the HSE to the Friends of Regional Hospital Mullingar that if it fundraised and provided for the MRI machine, the HSE would construct the building to house the machine and would staff the operation. I compliment the Friends of Regional Hospital Mullingar, both the existing committee and previous committees, on the work it has done in fundraising over the years and the support it has given the hospital. John McGrath and Mandy Reilly are very strong in their support and the need for this staffing. The Minister met them when he was in Mullingar before Christmas. To date, it has raised €950,000, with the machine costing €1.2 million. With a VAT rebate of €283,000, sufficient funding is in place, the machine has been ordered and it is due to be fitted on the 21 June and operational from July.

The HSE has honoured part of its commitment, as the building is almost complete. The signs are positive, which I must acknowledge, in relation to staffing as approval has been given for a specialist post of a radiographer, which was advertised today. However, the full staffing submission made last year needs approval without delay. We have been fortunate to have a very efficient and effective management team in the hospital in Mullingar under Kay Slevin. They made a very streamlined staffing submission ensuring the most efficient use of resources. The annual costs will be €1.5 million, which is not a huge amount of money when taken in the context that last year alone the hospital spent €500,000 just on taxis and travel costs to bring patients from the hospital to other locations to have their MRIs completed. Some 902 MRI scans were done last year. That also does not take into account lost bed days. The Minister of State will know from his professional experience that for every patient who must travel outside of the hospital, one to two bed days are lost. This new MRI scanner will cater for children and will greatly assist in reducing outpatient lists.

Even if the Minister of State were to tell me this evening that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, who is aware of this issue, said that the HSE has given sanction for this staffing submission, it would still take three to six months to fill the posts, depending on availability. There cannot be a situation in which a machine has been commissioned and is in place and a building has been completed but without staff in place to bring the machine into operation. I wish the Minister of State to convey to the Minister the urgency of having the HSE sanction this submission, which it has had for months, and ensure the capital investment made will not be underutilised.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Troy on behalf of Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, for this opportunity to update the House on this important matter. The Regional Hospital Mullingar is an important level 3 hospital that provides a wide range of health services for people in counties Westmeath and Longford and specialised services for a broader midlands population of 291,000. As Deputy Troy referenced, when I trained as a doctor, I spent time with the RCSI in Mullingar hospital and noted the tremendous public service and work of the staff in the hospital and the broader community in trying to advance this proposal. In support of its development, this Government has invested significantly in the hospital, with a current budget allocation of €101.9 million, an increase of 19% on 2019. I am pleased to note, as part of this ongoing investment, a new-build extension to the radiology department is at an advanced stage. The extension to the radiology department at Mullingar Regional Hospital is included in the capital programme for 2023 and funding has been allocated to progress the project.

This build will accommodate the new MRI and has an expected completion date in quarter 3 2023. The cost of the MRI project is €8.3 million, which is funded by the HSE. As Deputy Troy said, it is important to also acknowledge the role the Friends of Regional Hospital Mullingar played in supporting the development of this important service. Through its hard work and dedication to the hospital, this group successfully funded the cost of the MRI scanner, which is a part of the MRI project, through its fundraising campaign. It is a great initiative and will, no doubt, continue to benefit the patients of Regional Hospital Mullingar for many years to come.

I understand the MRI staffing proposal to support this service at Regional Hospital Mullingar has been submitted to the HSE for consideration. The HSE has approved the recruitment of a clinical specialist radiographer post, which will support the preparation for operationalising and managing the MRI service in Regional Hospital Mullingar. Recruitment for this post is actively being progressed. Regional Hospital Mullingar has approximately 1,100 whole-time equivalent staff, as of March 2023, which represents an increase of 17% since December 2019. Despite the challenges in recruiting healthcare staff, I am advised that Regional Hospital Mullingar has continued to attract highly-talented professionals to the hospital across all disciplines.

Workforce planning in healthcare is a key priority for me and this Government. We have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of healthcare staff employed in our public health service during the life of this Government, with 20,020 staff recruited by the HSE since December 2019, including an increase of 12,917 in acute care. In 2023, we allocated €23.4 billion to our health and social care services - an unprecedented investment. This investment in our hospitals enables the delivery of high-quality, accessible and safe care, ensuring that our hospitals, including Regional Hospital Mullingar, continue to develop and serve the growing and diverse needs of its catchment area.

I take Deputy Troy's point; he and the community want an expeditious decision by the HSE so the capital works are brought to fruition. People want a functioning MRI, which was the focus of his Topical Issue. I will reflect that and the strong wish of the community to see that and that in addition to the specialist radiographer, there is active recruitment for the full staffing complement so the many hundreds who went elsewhere last year can receive a local service and that the investment is brought to fruition in the context of the staffing complement. I will fully reflect the urgency of what Deputy Troy outlined.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It is important the people who need it can get a local service but apart from that, it is value for money. We are spending more than €500,000 a year on taxis and transport costs to bring them to other hospitals that are already under pressure. This is very much needed and I have acknowledged that the Government invested significantly in Regional Hospital Mullingar in the MRI build and the outpatient department, in which the Minister took a personal interest. We are fortunate, which the Minister of State acknowledged, to have high-calibre, dedicated staff in the hospital but we need more of them. The HSE knew this build was going to be completed in quarter 3 of this year; it sanctioned it last year. It should have pre-empted and realised that the positions and staffing submission needed to be approved in order for the recruitment process to commence and allow full use to be made of this much-needed service without delay. We need approval without delay because we do not want the major capital investment that has been made to be underutilised.

I wish to make a side point in relation to this issue. Due to works for the MRI scanner and outpatient department, a significant amount of car parking spaces have been lost. This is having a negative effect on staff in the hospital and patients coming in for treatment.

Will the Minister of State to convey to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, the need for a capital allocation to enable the hospital management to provide 85 new car parking spaces to ensure staff have access to such car parking? They need it because they work long and antisocial hours and must be able to park their cars close to the hospital-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is pushing the boat out now I think.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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-----and there is also such a need for parking for the patients who come to get their treatment in the hospital.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that the Ireland East Hospital Group and the HSE are committed to progressing the new MRI unit in the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar for the people of counties Westmeath and Longford and the broader midlands. I am pleased the building works to facilitate the MRI equipment are progressing in the context of the planned completion date. Consideration is being given to the funding allocation for the MRI staffing required. In the interim, as I said, the recruitment of the clinical specialist radiographer will be actively progressed.

I reiterate the Government's commitment to healthcare reform. A significant amount has been delivered and this is having an impact on patients' lives. The Deputy is correct, however. There is a value for money argument here, which he has outlined, and I share his view in this regard. I refer as well to the opportunity for further diagnostics in respect of people who may not have been referred for an MRI because there is no opportunity to get one within the region presently. This is an aspect we are trying to strengthen in the context of overall diagnostics in healthcare. I appreciate the point that to give fruition to the great work done locally and within the hospital community around the capital allocation, it is important the staffing complement is increased. I will certainly communicate the urgency and prioritisation the Deputy has outlined from the local community to the Minister. I will also convey the Deputy's feedback concerning the staff feedback on parking and I will get the Minister to engage directly with the Deputy on this topic.