Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the House that my Department is committed to working with the HSE to address the clearly identified need for critical care capacity over the coming years. I absolutely agree with the Senator. I acknowledge the issue and, as I said earlier, it is recognised as a priority for the year ahead by the individual hospital groups. The implementation of hospital groups facilitates further reorganisation of these services across hospitals in line with the hub-and-spoke model. Over the medium to long term, the health service capacity review will provide the basis for determining the extent of the capacity requirements over the next 15 years and the type of capacity needed. The findings will also inform the development of a new ten-year national development plan. Work on the HSE capacity review is at an advanced stage and I expect to receive the final report very shortly. I intend to bring the report to the Government and have it published as soon as possible thereafter.

The Government is committed to making tangible and sustainable improvements in our health services. The health service capacity review was a key element of this and the Sláintecare report provides a framework and direction of travel for improvement. The Government has already given its approval to move ahead with the establishment of a Sláintecare programme office in the Department of Health. The role of executive director of the Sláintecare programme office was advertised on Friday 12 January, as the Senator is aware, by the Public Appointments Service.

On his specific question about consultants and the 4,000 beds, the Senator will appreciate that prior to the publication of the capacity review it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any numbers or figures in that regard.