Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has signed the statutory instrument to establish the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board; when she will sign the instrument in question; the remit of the new board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13339/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A joint Health Service Executive/Department of Health and Children Transition Group was established to advance the development of the national tertiary paediatric hospital. The next stage of the process, which is being overseen by the Transition Group, involves the preparation of a high level framework brief for the new hospital. The brief is being developed for the Transition Group by Rawlinson Kelly & Whittlestone Ltd (RKW), an established UK-based health care planning company. RKW will be advising on a range of issues which will help to inform the design of the new hospital. They will be advising, for example, on the preferred model of care, on the core services to be delivered at the new hospital, and on the additional range of services to be provided outside of the main hospital through the urgent / ambulatory care service, taking account of international best practice in the planning of children's hospital services. RKW's report is expected to be completed this month.

The Transition Group is also at an advanced stage of drafting the Statutory Instrument which will establish the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on a legal basis. The draft proposals have been sent to the relevant parties for comment. The Board, which will be chaired by Mr Philip Lynch, will be responsible for designing, building and equipping the new hospital in accordance with the high level framework brief currently being prepared.