Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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131. To ask the Minister for Health if he will support the provision of a 20-room unit for cystic fibrosis patients at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14805/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Officials from my Department met with the Cystic Fibrosis Hopesource Foundation, hospital management, clinicians and nursing staff to discuss proposals for an in-patient unit for Cystic Fibrosis patients at Beaumont Hospital within the last week. The meeting was a positive engagement, with preliminary discussions on future service needs.

It was acknowledged that the population of adults with Cystic Fibrosis served by Beaumont Hospital has more than doubled since service provision commenced. A dedicated CF Outpatient facility facilitates a comprehensive range of multidisciplinary services for approximately 150 patients. The consultation and treatment rooms have specialist air filtration rooms to assist with infection control. Seven single in-patient rooms are reserved for elective CF admissions for prophylactic antibiotic therapy (or other treatment as required), thus ensuring that adults with CF are rarely admitted as in-patients via the Emergency Department. However in the longer term, demographic factors, coupled with the increase in patient longevity resulting from improved treatment and pharmaceuticals, will increase service provision requirements further. As a result, it is estimated that a future requirement will arise for up to 20 in-patient beds.

Beaumont Hospital and the HSE are engaging in relation to the overall infrastructural requirements to best meet growing service demands. An initial business case for the future development of additional CF services at Beaumont Hospital has been submitted by the CEO of the hospital to the RCSI Hospital Group Chief Executive and is under review. The views and ideas exchanged between my officials, hospital staff and patient advocates will inform the further development of this business case.