Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 520: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if proposals have been put to her for the reorganisation of accident and emergency departments in Dublin; if she has issued policy guidelines to the Health Service Executive regarding the standards that must be delivered in the context of reorganisation to protect patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2194/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government is committed to ensuring the delivery of the best quality health services possible, in an effective and efficient way. Ensuring patient safety is of paramount importance, so that people can have confidence in the services and that the best possible patient outcomes can be achieved. The overriding aim, which I fully support, is that services are organised and managed to improve patient safety and to achieve better standards of care for patients.

The HSE 2009 National Service Plan includes provision for a review of the existing arrangements whereby 11 hospitals in Dublin and three in Cork operate 24 hour 7 day Emergency Departments. The review will involve consideration of whether it is necessary to maintain full Emergency Department services in each hospital beyond the peak hours of operation and whether this represents the best use of resources. The HSE will also continue the work which is underway in reviewing the configuration of hospital services, with a particular focus on the North East, Mid-West and Southern regions, in order to ensure that such services are configured in a way which optimises clinical outcomes for patients.