Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the commitment that current service provision will continue to be provided to the full extent in the coming year at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, County Galway; the plans that she or the Health Service Executive have in respect of further development of services; if she will provide a commitment that the current intensive care unit and accident and emergency provision at Portiuncula Hospital will remain and continue to meet the requirements of Portiuncula's current catchment area; if the vacant consultant surgical posts at Portiuncula Hospital will be filled in a permanent capacity; and if the budget for all the aforementioned services will be ring-fenced and managed by the local Portiuncula-located general manager. [14874/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Portiuncula Hospital plays an important part in the HSE West network of acute hospitals. Its budget for 2010 is approximately €43 million. The General Manager of the hospital is the budget holder and has local management responsibility for the delivery of services. In line with its service plan for this year, the hospital is projected to provide services for:

over 10,000 in-patients

more than 7,000 day cases

20,000 emergency presentations and

42,000 outpatient attendances

A replacement consultant surgeon post is currently being processed for filling by the Public Appointments Service. The filling of a second replacement consultant surgeon post is being considered by the HSE. Both of these posts are currently filled in a locum capacity.

The HSE plans to recruit a General Manager with responsibility for Galway University Hospitals, Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital. The recruitment of a General Manager with responsibility for the three hospitals involves the expansion of the previous responsibilities of this post. This is designed to improve management processes, promote good co-ordination between hospitals and to improve services for patients. It is in line with the approach on the governance of acute hospitals recommended in the Health Information and Quality Authority's Report on Quality and Safety of Services at the Mid Western Regional Hospital Ennis, published in April 2009. This report identified the importance of integrated governance across hospital networks in ensuring higher quality services for patients.

I am satisfied that the plan to recruit a General Manager with responsibility for Galway University Hospitals, Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital will enhance the capacity for collaboration in service provision, provide a more strategic approach to the management of the hospitals concerned and ensure the provision of better and safer services to the people of the region.