Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Health in view of a number of reports commissioned into services in Our Lady's Hospital Navan, County Meath, among them the Peyton Report, if the reports are complete; if he has read these reports; the findings of these reports; when these reports will be published; and the decision that will be made on the back of these reports [19117/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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A review, commissioned by the HSE, is currently underway into four surgical laparoscopic cases with poor outcomes at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. The review is chaired by Mr. Rodney Peyton and is nearing completion.

Since 2005, on foot of concerns regarding patient safety, the HSE has also commissioned four other reviews into the Department of Surgery in Navan. The HSE has accepted all of the recommendations of these reviews and in line with these recommendations a series of steps were taken to limit potential surgical risk. I have been advised by the HSE that two of the reports have not been published as the findings have been disputed and are subject to High Court proceedings. I have asked the HSE if the other two reports can be made available to the Deputy.

These reports identified those services that can be safely delivered in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan and the need for the surgical services at Navan to be integrated into a larger department of surgery. Many of the recommendations from these reports have already been implemented as follows:

(i) transfer of ambulance bourne trauma,

(ii) increased clinical supervision in the Emergency Department and

(iii) no major surgical procedures have been undertaken in the hospital since 2005 (minor and intermediate surgery only carried out at the Hospital).

The establishment is currently underway of an overall Louth/Meath joint Department of Surgery with unified governance arrangements from each Hospital site.

The HSE must always take appropriate measures in light of all review reports recommendations. This is particularly important with HIQA reports and I would highlight the recent Ennis and Mallow reports as being very significant.