Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I thank Senator Ó Domhnaill for raising this issue. It provides me with an opportunity to update the House on this matter and to outline the background to the current situation and the action taken by the HSE. As the Senator is aware, the HSE has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services, including those at facilities such as community hospitals in Donegal town and Killybegs, County Donegal.

Donegal town community hospital is a HSE residential facility for older people and is located on the outskirts of the town. It is a two-storey building that was established in 1978. The residential unit is located on the ground floor and has a capacity of 29 beds. The unit provides palliative care, respite care, convalescence, rehabilitation, assessment and some continuing care. In addition to residential services, there are also day hospital services, outpatient clinics, child dental services, mental health services and a range of other health services.

Killybegs Community Hospital opened in 2001 and provides a range of services that includes a 41-bed residential centre, a day centre, X-ray facilities, blood testing clinics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The residential centre is located on the second floor of the hospital. Accommodation consists of four single rooms, two twin rooms and eight four-bedded rooms. A palliative care suite is also provided allowing family members to stay with their relative at the end of life.

There are 11 public residential care units in Donegal and the HSE has X-ray facilities in a number of these units. Almost 5,900 patients availed of X-ray services in 2010, and between January and May 2011 nearly 2,800 patients used this service. Some curtailment of the X-ray services is necessitated in the community hospitals when the number of radiography staff available to meet the clinical needs of patients attending Letterkenny General Hospital for X-ray services is reduced.

Letterkenny hospital has a complement of 27 radiography staff. Currently, two staff members are on maternity leave, four staff members are on sick leave and two posts are unfilled. The filling of vacant posts has been impacted by the moratorium on recruitment in the HSE. In order to ensure that there is an adequate level of radiographer cover in Letterkenny and to ensure continuity of service in the community, from next Monday, 26 September, the management of the hospital and community services will put in place the following arrangements, based on clinical priority. There will be a radiographer in Killybegs Community Hospital and Donegal Community Hospital one day each per week and there will be a service in Dungloe Community Hospital two days per week. The HSE will keep these arrangements under review depending on the needs of the service.

The Senator will appreciate that all developments have to be addressed in light of the current economic and budgetary pressures and any decisions taken by the executive must have regard to this and the current moratorium on the recruitment of nursing and non-nursing staff. The executive has been asked to make a rigorous examination of how existing funding might be re-allocated to ensure maximum service provision. In particular, we need to ensure the highest standard of care will continue to be provided to all residents in a safe and secure environment. It is a matter for the HSE to deliver services nationally and locally within its budget and overall health policy priorities in line with the overall resources available to it. The executive will continue to work closely with the Department in this context.