John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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113. To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of patients in University Hospital Waterford provided with a specialist palliative care service in their place of residence within seven days of referral in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; the staff resources allocated to the provision of specialist palliative care service in the home in County Waterford; if additional resources have been allocated through the 2015 operational plan; when these will come on stream; the percentage of patients admitted to a specialist palliative care inpatient bed within seven days of referral in the hospital in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; the percentage of patients who received a specialist palliative care service in the community in County Waterford in the same years; if he will provide an update on the status of the new 20-bed palliative care unit to be situated on the grounds of the hospital; the way the construction of this new unit is to be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20885/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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An average of 87% of patients in University Hospital Waterford referred were provided with a specialist palliative care service in their place of residence within seven days of referral in each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015. The average percentage of patients referred who were admitted to a specialist palliative care in-patient bed in University Hospital Waterford within seven days of referral for each year identified is 100%. The average number of patients in receipt of specialist palliative care in the community per monthfor the same years in County Waterford is 87.

With regard to the staff resources allocated to the provision of specialist palliative care service in the home in County Waterford, the Health Service Executive provides funding to the Waterford Hospice Movement through the Section 39 grant aid process to support the delivery of Community Specialist Palliative Care Services. The current staffing resources allocated to this service include 6 WTE Nursing Staff and 0.5 WTE Occupational Therapists, with Complementary Therapist Sessions as demand requires. There was one additional Clinical Nurse Specialist allocated to this service in 2015 by the Health Service Executive and this post is currently being recruited.

A new 20-bed Specialist Palliative Care In-Patient Unit is to be built as part of the €20m redevelopment of University Hospital Waterford. Enabling works have been completed and a planning permission application has been submitted to Waterford County Council. Construction is planned to commence in Q1 2016 and is expected to be completed in Q4 2017. Following fit-out and commissioning the unit is planned to open in early 2018 and will comprise of 20 in-patient palliative care beds, palliative care day care, and a further three floors of 24 single rooms on each floor. The Waterford Hospice Movement has committed to providing substantial capital funding towards the palliative care element of this development.

The Palliative Care Unit at University Hospital Waterford was approved on the basis that it is revenue neutral. This will be staffed by existing resources currently working in Palliative Care, both in acute and sub-acute services and across the South East. Resources will be in place to operate the unit as planned in 2018 in line with the Project Plan.