Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to increase the existing rehabilitation bed capacity in addition to redeveloping the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire. [18529/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) is currently a 120 bed hospital which provides treatment and rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injuries, head injuries, amputation, traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury, strokes and neurological disorders. It also provides assessments for wheelchair and mobility aids and vocational training programmes involving a wide range of social, personal and work related skills. In addition, the hospital has a 12 bed hostel which enables patients from outside the Dublin area to access day services at the hospital and attend the vocational training unit.

The Programme for Government committed to increasing the existing rehabilitation capacity in addition to redeveloping the NRH. I understand that a Project Team is working with an appointed Design Team to develop the new hospital. The design will be submitted for planning in mid 2008 with an expected completion date for the hospital of 2012. When built, the new hospital will provide additional treatment and diagnostic capacity.

In addition the Health Service Executive has also informed my Department that plans have been prepared to develop a satellite unit of the National Rehabilitation Hospital attached to Beaumont Hospital, linking the rehabilitation expertise of NRH with the neurological services in Beaumont. This new proposed unit will provide acute medical rehabilitation services and early rehabilitation for those suffering from brain injury who access the National Neurosciences Unit at Beaumont Hospital and who currently have to access services at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

A key Government initiative in the area of rehabilitation is the commitment by the Department of Health & Children and the HSE to the development of a national strategy for the provision of medical rehabilitation services. A number of issues will be considered as part of this including: an assessment of the need; the structure and location of facilities and services; and the nature of the rehabilitation facilities, that is, whether they should be hospital type, step down, or preparation for independent living.

Preliminary meetings in relation to this strategy will be held in the coming weeks.