Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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It is great to have the Minister of State in the House. It is nearly like her Wednesday morning coffee break at this stage. Every Wednesday morning, I have the pleasure of talking to her about health issues in Cork.

I raised this issue about a dedicated cataract service for Cork that has been spoken about for many years. The regional centre that will be based in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital is a project we have probably been talking about since 2014. It is a project that has cost almost €5 million. I am looking for an update on several aspects of the project.

First, I welcome that the outpatient unit in Ballincollig primary care centre is now up and running. The Minister of State might give me an update on where we are with staffing levels there and the throughput figures to go through that unit. The other issue is that unfortunately the capacity in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital was projected to be 2,000 cases, but we have issues about where we are with that proposal. That is probably what I am really asking about this morning. The big issue is what is the level of transfer of services from Cork University Hospital, CUH, to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital. Has there been a full transfer of service? Have we seen the CUH work with outpatients, including the eye clinic and all the other services that are in the CUH at the moment and some that are in the Mercy University Hospital, MUH, coming all the way to this new unit that we have spent almost €5 million on?

There is considerable local concern that the transfer has not happened. This project has been finished for almost 18 or 19 months. It cost €5 million to build. It has the capacity to do more than 2,000 cases per year. Unfortunately, we have a huge waiting list, especially in my part of the world, for this issue. We see people going to Northern Ireland and going to the private centres to get services. We put money behind this project. We planned it in the past decade. We delivered it on the ground. Is it running at full capacity? That is the real issue.

From talking and listening to members of the Joint Committee on Health, I know that last December they were informed that negotiations were still happening between CUH and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital on this issue. It would be an awful shame - and I am being very polite - if office politics between two hospitals in Cork became the big issue in the transfer of services. We need to ensure the services being talked about and that we put our money and planning into in the past decade can now be delivered on the campus in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and the full transfer of all services from CUH and the MUH takes place. February was the date that was mentioned.I am not sure if that can be confirmed this morning, but we need to get clarity because at the moment, unfortunately, there are people of a certain generation or age who feel, rightly or wrongly, that their only avenue is to go to the North, and that is not right. Other people are going through the private sector and facing issues in trying to get funding for that. We need to get clarity in this regard. I hope the Minister of State can bring that clarity to this issue.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the House on this important matter. I commend him on his constant advocacy for services and supports, especially for older people, in his area.

Demand for ophthalmic services has grown in the region over recent years. This is due to both the development of new treatments and the ageing population profile. It is, however, important to say - I say it every opportunity I get - that we have the highest life expectancy in Europe, as deemed by the World Health Organization. That did not happen by accident. We are doing our very best to support older people to age in place. It is one area I have put a strong focus on as Minister of State with responsibility for older people. So many people have challenges with cataracts. They can be very healthy people, living well at home, but when your sight is affected, it can have a huge negative impact on you. I welcome the opportunity to address this today. Recent reports predict that demand for these services will continue to increase in the coming years.

In line with recommendations in the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology: Model of Eye Care, published in 2017, and the Reconfiguration of Acute Hospital Services: Cork and Kerry, it was decided that there should be a regional department of ophthalmology. The South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital was chosen as the site best suited for this. The HSE has advised that this reconfiguration of ophthalmology services in Cork began in 2014, with all elective and emergency surgery from Cork University Hospital and the outpatient department of the Mercy University Hospital to be transferred to the South Infirmary.

The new ophthalmology unit at the South Infirmary includes two operating theatres; anaesthetic, scrub and prep rooms; a recovery unit; and an ophthalmology day unit. The new unit also includes the most modern equipment and will have access to supportive diagnostic technology.

In addition to developing hospital services, this new unit will support continued work with the regional eye care service based in the primary community care centre in Ballincollig. This will further strengthen links between the community and the acute hospital setting for the benefit of ophthalmology patients.

The HSE, in response to the Senator's questions, has confirmed that the transfer of outpatient and eye casualty to the South Infirmary began in 2019; however, the process was paused, as the Senator will understand, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This transfer was reinstated last year, with a commitment on the part of the South/South West Hospital Group to work with CUH and the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital to complete reconfiguration. The transfer of the diabetic retinal screening service from CUH to the Ballincollig primary healthcare centre commenced in August 2023, with clinics commencing on 28 August 2023. The transfer of outpatient services also commenced in August 2023, and the HSE has confirmed to me that it is planned to finalise the transfer of this service to the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital by the end of March, that is, by the end of next month.

The HSE has also confirmed that the majority of emergency surgery is now being delivered in the South Infirmary and that pathways between CUH and the South Infirmary have been agreed in cases of major trauma presentations that require immediate ophthalmic surgical input.

The new ophthalmology unit provides further evidence of the Government's commitment to the South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital and to the people of Cork in providing the most appropriate care in the right place and at the right time. The new ophthalmology unit is an extremely significant milestone in the evolution of services, both acute and community, for the people of Cork and the South/South West Hospital Group.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the news, in particular her announcement that the transfer of services will be complete by March 2024. That is literally two or three weeks away. There has been major concern locally that this has slipped and slipped, and there have been issues as to how CUH and the Mercy were combining with the new South Infirmary and how they are all tying together. The capacity now needs to be spoken about. That is really important. We need to start talking about that and what the service will deliver to the region. The figure as to what is projected, in particular for 2024 and 2025, needs to be publicised, and we need to make sure we stick to those capacity levels. Will the Minister of State give us an indication of the projected capacity as regards her proposal and this €5 million investment? As she rightly said, it is a really significant investment for the Cork region, which badly requires this service.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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If the Minister of State does not mind, before she responds, I welcome the students from Sacred Heart Senior National School, Tallaght. I am also a Tallaght girl. It is great to see fellow Tallafornians in to visit us in the Seanad. You are very welcome to the Chamber.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome the teachers and the students from Sacred Heart, Tallaght. It is great to have a school from one's own area come in. I hope they enjoy their visit. I remember a long time ago coming as a child to visit Leinster House, the Dáil and the Seanad. I do not think any of us would ever have envisaged at that age that we would be here working in this capacity. I hope the teachers and students have a great day.

To respond to Senator Lombard, the HSE has advised that the ophthalmology service reconfiguration will be fully completed by the end of March 2024, that is, probably approximately six weeks away, when the transfer of outpatient services from CUH to the South Infirmary will be finalised. That is really welcome.

The HSE has also confirmed that the majority of emergency surgery is now being delivered in the South Infirmary. Important pathways between CUH and the South Infirmary have been agreed in cases of major trauma presentations that require immediate ophthalmic surgical input. The Senator is quite right that it is really important to have those pathways and that we know, if there is a trauma, exactly where that person will be looked after. He is also quite right to talk about capacity. We have an ageing population and more and more demand on services.

The new unit will support and work with the regional eye care service based in the primary community care centre in Ballincollig, which will further strengthen links between the community. I expect that when this is completely up and running, with all the transfers made, capacity will be the issue. I will keep a close eye on that - pardon the pun. People can have a great quality of life if they can have their cataracts sorted and live well at home.