Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Health when the next phase of the Naas hospital development plan is expected to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54698/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Last May, I announced the introduction of Hospital Groups to provide for organisational change, giving more autonomy and better enabling the reorganisation of services in a well-planned manner. Naas General Hospital is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, which also includes the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, St James's Hospital and Tallaght Hospital.

A Strategic Advisory Group is now being established which will oversee the establishment of Hospital Groups and the subsequent reorganisation of acute hospital services. Each group of hospitals will work together as single cohesive entities managed as one, to provide acute care for patients in their area, integrating with community and primary care. This will maximise the amount of care delivered locally, whilst ensuring complex care is safely provided in larger hospitals. Hospital Groups will be required, within one year, to develop a strategic plan which will outline their plans for future services within the group area and the role of hospitals within each group will be considered in detail in the context of this strategic plan.

In relation to the specific information sought by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.