Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter. There is a major problem in Cork at present as the medical consultants and nursing staff on the front line have a difficulty providing gynaecological services. I understand there is quite a long waiting list of more than 4,000 people for either appointments or surgery. When all the maternity services in Cork were transferred, and three hospitals providing maternity services, the Bon Secours Hospital, the Eirnville Hospital and St. Finbarr's Hospital, were closed and amalgamated to CUH, two operating theatres were to be provided which would work at least five days a week. What has occurred is only one has opened and this works three and a half days a week. As a result, for a day and a half there is no access to the theatre. What is required for the theatre to be open for the extra day and a half is three more nurses. This would help to alleviate the list. What would also help to alleviate it is if the second theatre was opened. At present, some of the beds are being used with a turnover of three patients per day per bed for day cases. It is working fully to try to accommodate everyone. There is also a proposal for a day care unit with six beds, and the costings have been done on this. It would help to alleviate the problem.

When cancer services from the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital were transferred to CUH it was agreed a gynaecological unit would open there and a building was identified which would have had four beds for day care procedures. This has not been done. We now have a huge number of items not provided for although a commitment was given, and as a result the biggest maternity gynaecological unit outside of Dublin is running at half capacity. I ask that something be done about this.