Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing this motion on the Adjournment and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, for coming to the House to take it. Concerned constituents have brought to my attention their fears for the future of services at Roscommon County Hospital and staff changeovers due on 11 July. It is vital the Minister, Deputy Reilly, clarifies this issue immediately. It is unacceptable to me that services at Roscommon County Hospital would be withdrawn. It is unacceptable that the accident and emergency service would only be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily and close from 5 p.m. on Friday until 8 a.m. on Monday. It is essential that accident and emergency services are available at Roscommon County Hospital on a 24-7 basis, as has been the case up to now. It is to be hoped the HSE suggestions in this regard will be overruled by the Minister.

Prior to the election, the Minister, Deputy Reilly, said that safety is not simply about surgical competence but also about timely access. Timed treatment, especially to remote geographical locations is crucial. I wish to quote an extract from a pre-election commitment of the Minister, Deputy James Reilly:

This is key to allowing Roscommon Hospital, which does not have complex surgery, to retain the skillset required to incubate and ventilate and to have the ability to undertake less complex surgical procedures. ... Furthermore, in the event of the A&E being downgraded, we are committed to reinstating a 24/7 service, where feasible. ... To again reiterate, our core principle regarding health is that the patient be safely treated as close as possible to their home and Roscommon County Hospital is an integral part of this objective.

I hope the Minister of State, when replying, will confirm that Roscommon County Hospital will retain its 24-hour, seven day a week accident and emergency unit. This is crucial and is the most important issue in the constituency of Roscommon-South Leitrim, as it was when I was a Minister of State who successfully retained those services in the 1980s.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Senators for raising this important matter. The Government's priority in regard to acute hospital services is to ensure safe, high quality care for patients, provided at the most appropriate location. The Minister is committed to ensuring all care is provided at the lowest level of complexity, consistent with safe practice. Roscommon County Hospital provides an important range of elective and emergency services and treats cases on both an inpatient and a day case basis.

Over recent weeks, HSE management and clinicians at Roscommon County Hospital have been engaged in discussions to try to ensure any clinical risks and patient safety issues at the hospital are anticipated and fully addressed in advance. The main concern is to ensure the hospital has sufficient staff with the required qualifications and experience available to maintain safe levels of service. The hospital is one of a number of hospitals nationally whose progress in regard to the implementation of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, Ennis report recommendations is being monitored. Similarly, all hospitals will in future face regulatory, licensing, staffing and accreditation requirements.

An overriding and immediate concern, however, is that, like a number of other hospitals, Roscommon has experienced problems for some time in recruiting junior medical staff and nursing staff, with further recruitment difficulties anticipated from July as part of the next rotation of junior hospital doctors. Roscommon hospital and, indeed, Ireland are not unique in this regard, and other countries are also experiencing difficulties in recruiting non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs, at present. There is also a significant level of vacancies in Northern Ireland and in the UK at present. As a result, Roscommon hospital has had to rely heavily on agency staff, which creates challenges for quality, continuity and certainty in respect of covering rotas.

The HSE has developed a range of strategies and initiatives to maximise recruitment of NCHDs, in particular, the development of training posts. The HSE has also developed a centralised recruitment process for service posts, introduced a single contact point for HSE agencies to obtain locum or temporary medical staff, and agreed less burdensome visa and work permit arrangements for doctors from outside the EEA. In addition, as part of the recruitment campaign, senior HSE staff travelled to India and Pakistan to conduct interviews and progress offers of employment in early May. It is intended that this will result in the recruitment of a number of additional NCHDs. In this regard, the HSE has engaged with the Medical Council to ensure that, subject to successful candidates meeting the council's registration requirements, they can be registered to practice in Ireland as quickly as possible.

On behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, I assure the House that Roscommon hospital is a vital part of the health service infrastructure in the west. The Government will ensure as many services as possible can be provided safely in smaller local hospitals. Roscommon hospital has a clear future role in serving the local community. Our continuing focus will be on maintaining a high quality, safe service for patients in Roscommon, and all our efforts will be directed to this end.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is no reassurance in this statement from the Minister of State on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Reilly. I am very disappointed with the response. I point out that a copy of the Minister of State's script has not been circulated, as is normal practice in the House on the Adjournment. What I glean from the statement from the Minister of State is that no commitment is being given to the retention of 24-hour, seven day a week accident and emergency services at Roscommon County Hospital. It is clearly not implied in the statement, and we will have a further-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Has the Senator a question?

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am calling for a further debate. The Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, is not in the Department of Health. I want the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to come to the House and make a full and detailed statement. I call on my colleague, Senator Kelly-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That is not for a matter the Adjournment.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will ask our leader to request a debate.