James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to outline progress regarding the establishment of hospital groups and to outline the position with regard to Waterford Regional Hospital specifically in that context.

The Report on the Establishment of Hospital Groups, which I launched on 14 May, is the most fundamental reform of the Irish acute hospital system since the foundation of the State. The introduction of hospital groups will provide for organisational change in the first instance, giving more autonomy and better enabling the reorganisation of services in a well planned manner. Over time, this will help to improve services and, most importantly, deliver better outcomes for patients. That is what the health service is about - patient care and improving outcomes for patients.

In July, expressions of interest were invited through the Public Appointments Service for appointment as chairpersons and members of hospital group boards. I have now appointed Dr. Tom Lynch as chair of the Dublin East Hospital Group, Dr. Frank Dolphin as chair of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, Ms Anne Maher as chair of the Dublin North East Group and Professor Geraldine McCarthy as chair of the South-South West Hospital Group, to which Waterford Regional Hospital belongs. These appointments are in addition to the existing chairs of the West-North West Hospital Group, the Mid-West Hospital Group and the Children's Hospital Group with Prof. Niall O'Higgins, Mr. Noel Daly and Dr. Jim Browne being the relevant chairs, respectively.

The Senator mentioned CEOs. I can confirm that CEOs and boards are already in place for the three aforementioned hospital groups.

The process of recruiting CEOs for the Dublin East, Dublin Midlands, Dublin North East and South-South West Hospital Groups is ongoing and, to the best of my knowledge, advertisements have been published in the newspapers. An open competition was held through the Public Appointments Service with a closing date set for 12 December. It is anticipated that interviews will be held in early January.

My Department is also working with the chairmen, including Professor McCarthy, with a view to appointing the other board members as soon as possible. I believe that the chairs should have an input into the process as they will have to chair and work with the board members.

A strategic advisory group is being established by my Department, chaired by Mr. Leo Kearns. The strategic advisory group will oversee the establishment of hospital groups and the subsequent re-organisation of acute hospital services. Each group of hospitals will work together as a single cohesive entity managed as one in order to provide acute care for patients in their areas, integrating with community and primary care. This will maximise the amount of care delivered locally while ensuring complex care is safely provided in larger hospitals.

Hospital groups will be required, within one year, to develop a strategic plan that will outline their plans for future services within the group area. The strategic plans will determine the way services are provided within each group, including the South-South West Group and Waterford Regional Hospital within that group.

As was committed to at the time of the report's publication, Waterford will continue to operate as a cancer centre under the national cancer control programme.

It will be the hub for the south-east renal service, and a regional trauma centre including emergency department, ear, nose and throat, and ophthalmology. It will also continue to provide invasive cardiology services for the south-east population. I understand that the Health Service Executive, HSE, is currently examining options within the existing hospital for the location of the second catheterisation laboratory.

In addition, an undertaking was given that my Department and the HSE would work with University College Cork, UCC, to enable Waterford hospital become a university teaching hospital, and this work is ongoing. UCC will be the primary academic partner for the South-South West Hospital Group. This will be to the benefit of all hospitals in the group across all services including cancer services and in the areas of research, education and innovation, and will secure the future progress of Waterford Regional Hospital.